Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Photo Credit: Victoria Adkins
The Colorado Mammoth (3-2) headed to Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia to take on the Georgia Swarm (2-3) in the hopes they could avenge their loss at home on December 27, 2025, by the score of 12-3. Tonight was the 10th Anniversary of the Swarm coming to Georgia and it would not come with a happy ending for Swarm fans. Colorado was without Ryan Lee who was injured during their game against the Rochester Knighthawks on January 3, 2o26, suffering a season-ending knee injury and would also still be without Andrew Kew. Matthew Paolatto continues to impress at the face-off dot coming into the contest third in the league at 63% and he continued that trend tonight going 11-16. Both netminders were absolutely stellar in between the pipes, with Dillon Ward making 39 saves on 44 shots (.886 Sv%) and Brett Dobson making 50 saves on 57 shots (.877 Sv%). Ward would tie his season high in saves and the Mammoth played their third game this season holding their opponents to less than 10 goals. The contest was high intensity with a lot of penalties, but in the end, Colorado’s defense was better than the Georgia defense in a low scoring contest. Final Score: Mammoth 7—Swarm 5.
The Swarm would win the opening draw but the first got off to a slow start with the first tally going on the board seven minutes in. Colorado would get called for an illegal crosscheck giving the Swarm their first of five man up opportunities on the night. It took only 10 seconds into the power play for Georgia to find twine. Shane Jackson (2g) was set up behind the cage, got the feed from Nolan Byrne and with a backdoor dunk put the ball short side and it was 1-0. As the fans watched a tennis match for the next six and change, the stalemate was finally broken. While in transition, Matt Paolatto fed to a streaking Ari Stevens (1g) who headed down the floor, stepped into his shot, fired over his defender and put the ball under the arm of Dobson with 2:08 left in the first tying the game 1-1. Possession would change until the buzzer sounded. Score at the end of one: Mammoth 1—Swarm 1.
Colorado would dominate the second outscoring Georgia 3-1. The frame would start with the Mammoth going man up at the .39 mark, but less than a minute into the power play, Colorado would get hit with a roughing penalty putting the teams in a 4 on 4 situation. Robert Hope (1a, 9 LB) would scoop the loosie, head down the floor on a fastbreak to find Jack Hannah (1g, 1a) open on the right side, and with one second left on the shot clock, Hannah would fire a step down shot far side 2:36 in for a shorthanded tally and it was 2-1 Colorado. Georgia still had time on their man up but could not capitalize. Another five and a half would come off the clock before the next penalty was assessed. Once again, Heinrich who got nabbed early in the frame, got hit with another. But this time, it would be Georgia who would put up their own shorthanded marker. With 13 seconds left on the man down, Nolan Byrne (1g, 1a) fought his way to the net, used a nice swim dodge, crashed the cage and put a beautiful twister shot inside the right pipe and it was tied 2-2 with 6:47 left in the second. Georgia would find themselves in an extended man down due to another penalty by Heinrich. This time a five-minute major for an up high illegal cross check on Jack Hannah who would temporarily leave the game. During that man up, Colorado would tally two. On the give and go with Jalen Chaster, Will Malcom (1g, 1a) out in front, stepped in, fired a shot over his defender and put the shot far side down low with 3:02 to go giving them a one goal lead 3-2. While still on the power play, an errant pass by Georgia led to an over and back which gave Colorado possession. Owen Rahn (1g) grabbed the loosie, headed down the floor all alone, jumped and dunked the shot over the left shoulder of Dobson to double up the Mammoth lead 4-2. Georgia would try and find the back of the net once more before the end of the second. They’d call a time out with 21.3 seconds left for the six on five but were unsuccessful. Score at the end of two: Mammoth 4—Swarm 2.
HALFTIME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 31; Saves 19; Sv% .905; FO 5-8; PP 2-6; PIM 49; LB 49
Georgia Swarm—SOG 21; Saves 27; Sv% .871; FO 3-8; PP 1-2; PIM 11; LB 29
Fans would again see a low scoring frame with the teams each putting up only one goal apiece. It was an odd start to the third with Colorado getting back-to-back delay of game penalties putting them on a two man down situation. Georgia would tally the final power play goal of the contest. Lyle Thompson (1g, 2a) would strike with a quick stick sidearm laser top side far pipe 3:46 in and they were within one 4-3. The last goal of the third was another short-handed marker. On yet another delay of game on Colorado, they’d find a way to find a way through Dobson. Malcom passed to Chaster who had a beautiful feed to a cutting Dylan McIntosh, he fired a high to low shot 4:46 into the third and the score was 5-3 in favor of Colorado. This would also put Wil Malcom at 400 career points. Jack Hannah would reenter the game after being tended to wearing the standard #99 jersey because of blood on his #33. Neither team could find twine for the last 10 minutes and fans were treated to both Ward and Dobson standing on their heads. Score at the end of three: Mammoth 5—Swarm 3.
The teams would score two goals apiece in the fourth. Georgia would start it off with another from Jackson with a shot over the top that hit short side 3:20 in getting them to within one 5-4. Nine minutes later, Colorado would reestablish the two-goal lead. On the pick and roll, Thomas Vela (1g) was left all alone in front, used a fake-fake and put it over the left shoulder with 5:17 to go and it was 6-4. The next tally happened about 30 seconds later on a strange play. The loose ball went towards the Mammoth cage, Ward came out of his net to grab the loosie, collided with one of his own players allowing Jordan MacIntosh (1g, 1a) to scoop the loose ball, head to the net, dive across the crease and put the ball into the empty net, and it was 6-5 with over four minutes and plenty of time to score. Shortly thereafter, Thompson thought he had put one five-hole on Ward, but Dillon had a great second effort to fall on the goal line blocking any chances of the ball rolling over the line and it was called a “no goal”. As the game was winding down, fans would see yet another strange event. The Swarm lost possession near the Mammoth cage, the ball rolled to the boards, both teams fought for the ball which rolled down the floor, with Colorado never having established possession. Connor Nock attempted a one-handed scoop as the ball crossed the midfield line, missed and it was scooped by a Swarm player and Brett Dobson immediately called time out with 49.1 seconds left. Mammoth Bench Boss Pat Coyle took out the challenge flag and because of his conversation with the men in stripes, the play was reviewed showing that Colorado did not gain possession meaning Georgia had 14 seconds left on the shot clock. The Swarm decided to keep Dobson on the bench for the extra-attacker which turned out to be the nail in the coffin. After Georgia tried to score, Warren Jeffrey (1g) got the loose ball on the rebound, headed down the floor and carefully shot the ball into the empty net with 38.1 seconds left on the clock. Georgia would try again but were unable to find twine. Final Score: Mammoth 7—Swarm 5.
FULL GAME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 57; Saves 39; Sv% .886; FO 11-16; PP 2-8; PIM 10; LB 87
Georgia Swarm—SOG 44; Saves 50; Sv% .877; FO 5-16; PP 2-5; PIM 15; LB 63
NEXT UP:
The Colorado Mammoth (3-2) will head north of the border to face the Halifax Thunderbirds (3-3) at Scotiabank Centre on Friday January 16, 2026, game time 6:30 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada can catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be available on NLL+.
The Georgia Swarm (2-3) will play host to the Calgary Roughnecks (1-4) at Gas South Arena also on Friday January 16, 2026, game time 10:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. This will be the NLL Friday Night on TSN for fans in Canada, so they can see the game on TSN & TSN+. The game will also be available on NLL+.
Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©