Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome
Photo Credit: Jeff Vinnick
On Saturday March 25, 2023 the Colorado Mammoth (6-7) headed to Rogers Arena to face the Vancouver Warriors (4-10) for the first of two meetings of the teams this year. In 2022 the Mammoth swept the series against the Warriors because although Vancouver had big leads they gave them up in each of the contests. This was only the second time this season that Colorado would have the same offensive line. They also had some changes on the defensive side with the signing of Garrett McIntosh from the Desert Dogs on the trade deadline Monday March 20, 2023. Each team would have a five-goal run in the second half, but it would be the Warriors who would take the lead late in the second quarter and did not relinquish it giving them only their second victory at home this season. Final Score: Warriors 14—Mammoth 12.
Vancouver would scoop the ball on the opening draw, but a whistle would give Colorado the first possession. The ball would go up and down the floor for almost six minutes, then Ryan Lee (7a) passed cross field to Connor Robinson (4g, 2a) and on an off ball move fired it far side down low at 5:43 to get them on the board 1-0 Mammoth. It took almost four minutes before Vancouver fired back. Shawn Evans (1g, 3a) from way out through traffic, fired a high to low shot and put it outside with 5:14 left to tie it up 1-1. But Colorado had possession and Robinson from right out in front used a side arm shot and fired a low to low bounce shot five hole with 2:58 on the ticker for the go ahead tally 2-1 Mammoth. With the timer winding down, Jordan Gilles (2a), passed to Lee, then to Eli McLaughlin (2g, 1a) on the door step and he dunked it stick side bottom corner for a beautiful tic-tac-toe play with .8 seconds on the buzzer and a two goal lead. Score at the end of one: Mammoth 3—Warriors 1.
This time Warriors would control the second outscoring the Mammoth 4-1. Colorado would win the opening draw but could not score. Unfortunately, they’d go man down at the 2:04 mark and Vancouver made them pay. Adam Charalambides (2g, 3a) headed to the cage, faked left-right-left, got Dillon Ward going East to West and dunked it over his shoulder for a power-play tally at the 3:19 mark and it was 3-2. Over the next four minutes, the Mammoth would have three breakaway opportunities, with one-on-one situations and had nothing to show for it as all shots hit Aaron Bold right in the chest. With 8:05 in the second, Colorado would get their first man up opportunity and they would too make their opponent pay. Robinson on the run got a beautiful BTB feed from McLaughlin and his quick stick shot went short side for a power-play tally and hat-trick on the night with 7:38 to go and the lead was once again increased to two at 4-2. But just as Vancouver had done in the first, Colorado wouldn’t score again in the second and the Warriors would tally a three-goal run. Ryan Martel (2g) would come from behind the cage and go around Ward dunking it far pipe under his arm with 6:55 and it was 4-3. A challenge flag would be tossed onto the floor with 4:26 to go by Vancouver Bench Boss Troy Cordingley for a ball that rolled five-hole towards the goal line. There was inconclusive evidence so the call remained “NO GOAL”. The next goal was a thing of beauty. Keegan Bal (2g, 5a) put a no look BTB shot that fooled Ward into the net glove side to tie it up 4-4 with 3:46 to go. The Warriors would put up the final tally in transition with Brandon Goodwin (1g, 2a) firing it on the run over the right shoulder with 28.30 seconds left giving Vancouver their first lead of the contest. Score at the end of two: Warriors 5—Mammoth 4.
The third quarter was a scoring barrage with the two teams putting up a total of 9 goals but once again Vancouver would outscore Colorado 6-3 and notch a five-goal run. The Warriors would win the opening draw but couldn’t capitalize. The Mammoth would be the first to score this time with Tyson Gibson (1g) in transition pump faking and he would float it far side hip high at 3:11 for the equalizer 5-5. Then the Warriors took control of the battle and started their five-goal run. Chase Scanlan (3g) floated one through the wickets and Ward just stood up and let it roll over the line at the 4:15 mark giving them the lead which they never looked back 6-5. The next score came off an outlet pass from Bold to B. Goodwin on the run and he passed to Bal on the tuck and go, Bal fired it far side at 5:37 and it was 7-5. At the 6:47 mark, Kyle Killen (1g, 1a) would get the feed from Evans on the back door and his quick stick went near side 8-5 Warriors. The next tally came off the rebound with Martel grabbing the garbage and he flicked it back into the net with 7:36 to go sending Ward to the bench in favor or Tyler Carlson with the score sitting at 9-5. That lasted for about 15 seconds until Colorado would go man down once again. Unfortunately the short break didn’t work for Ward and Riley Loewen (1g, 6a) cut through the middle fired a shot across his body and hit top cheese with 7:11 to go and a power-play tally doubling up Colorado 10-5. Robinson was able to stop the bleeding with a snipe shot from the restraining line out in front and a nice overhand shot with 4:17 to go and it was 10-6. Zed Williams (4g, 3a) put up another for the Mammoth on a turnover when he came back the other way, fired it across his body and tucked it up high with 2:07 left closing the gap to three 10-7. But once again, the Warriors found a way to put up one more before the buzzer. Owen Barker (1g) in transition on the turnover, scooped the loosie headed straight to the cage, on the crease, he jumped and dunked it over the right shoulder with 28.3 seconds to put them up by four. Score at the end of three: Warriors 11—Mammoth 7.
Colorado would be the ones to win the fourth outscoring Vancouver 5-3 but it would not be enough. The Warriors started it off with Charalambides two stepping around his defender, crashing the cage and putting it down low far side 1:24 in and it was 12-7. Scanlan put up his second with a couple of fakes on Ward on the doorstep, and he got Ward to go up and he shot low at 3:23 and the gap was now six 13-7. The Mammoth would start their five-goal run with a purpose after the TV time-out. Brett Craig (1a) used a nice BTB pass to McLaughlin and he laid out across the crease and went far side with 7:52 to go 13-8. With 6:58 to go, Williams picked up the garbage, and dove across the crease to put it far side 13-9. The men in black and white called this a “NO GOAL”. Immediately Williams called for his coach to throw the flag and Bench Boss Pat Coyle tossed the red flag on the floor. After further view, the evidence was conclusive that Williams was in the air as the ball crossed the plane of the goal therefore the call was overturned. “GOOD GOAL”. The momentum kept Williams going as he got the feed, crossed in front of the crease and fired it down low 58 seconds later for his hat-trick cutting the lead to three and it was 13-10. The next goal came from a bit of a miscue on the side of Vancouver. They didn’t realize that the shot clock had expired and Robert Hope (1g) headed down the floor on the turnover, was all alone in front of the cage, threw a couple of fakes and put it under the arm of Bold for his first goal of the season with 5:10 on the ticker and the gap was closed to two 13-11. Colorado would put up their final tally in transition with Williams running to the cage and his twister shot went over the right shoulder with 3:51 and it was 13-12. The Warriors would notch the final tally with 2:59 on the ticker and Scanlan notching his hat-trick. With 6 seconds on the shot clock he fired one from the outside and went five-hole. They’d get one penalty shot with 12.30 seconds off an illegal substitution penalty but Bal wasn’t able to make it count. Final Score: Warriors 14—Mammoth 12.
STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 53; Saves 28; Sv% .666%; FO 19-30; PP 1-1; LB 63; TO 27
Vancouver Warriors—SOG 42; Saves 41; Sv% .774%; FO 11-30; PP 2-3; LB 64; TO 33
NEXT UP:
The Colorado Mammoth (6-7) will play host to the Las Vegas Desert Dogs (5-8) on Friday March 31, 2023, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. This game holds major playoff implications for both teams as the Wild Card Spot in the West is wide open with the team in both divisions who has the best record grabbing that spot. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
The Vancouver Warriors (4-10) will head to Sasktel Centre to face their rivals the Saskatchewan Rush (5-8) on Saturday April 1, 2023, game time 9:30 p.m. EST. The Rush still have a chance for the Wild Card Spot, but the Warriors are now just the spoil sports for any team they face who has a chance for the playoffs. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. Fans in Canada can see the action on TSN.ca or the TSN app.
Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©