Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: James Bennett
The Colorado Mammoth (4-2) headed north of the border to face the Halifax Thunderbirds (3-4) on Friday January 16, 2026, in front of 10,000+ Halifax fans. Colorado had just come off a spectacular netminding battle in Georgia, while Halifax was coming off a double-header weekend where they split the weekend. Both Dillon Ward (9.05 GAA, 192 Saves, .820 Sv%) and Warren Hill (9.11 GAA, 242 Saves, .830 Sv%) were tied for third in the league in wins heading into the contest. But tonight, would once again be Dillon’s as the Mammoth would chase Hill from the net late in the second and he would not return. Drew Hutchison took over in cage and would give up five with 14 saves. Colorado would also have Andrew Kew (3g, 2a) back in line up after having missed the past four games. The young guns for the Mammoth are bringing the energy to the floor, the defense is tight and Ward was seeing the ball extremely well making key saves on the night. Combining all these factors, it was in the cards for Colorado as they would walk away with their third “W” in a row. Final Score: Mammoth 11—Thunderbirds 6.
Colorado would win the draw to open up the first and within the first 1:43 would go man down when Jalen Chaster was called for roughing after putting a nasty hit on Nonkon Thompson for his hit on Ward when he came out the crease for the outlet pass. This was the start of a penalty filled, scoreless quarter as the teams would run a track meet for the full 15. Both netminders stood on their heads and each made some ridiculous saves. Unfortunately for Halifax, Dawson Theede would get hit with a five-minute major for an illegal body check up high on Tim Edwards. The play was reviewed and the men in stripes held the five-minute with 1:48 to go in the first. This put Colorado on a 5 on 4 with most of the penalty carrying over into the second. Score at the end of one: Mammoth 0—Thunderbirds 0.
The Mammoth would start the second with 3:12 left on their man up and there would be no draw due to the penalty. It took no time at all for Colorado to strike. Dylan McIntosh (1g, 1a) got the feed and with a twister finish, went five-hole on a nice bounce shot breaking the goose eggs on the board for a power play marker 11 seconds in and it was Colorado 1—0. Still having time on the five on four, Jack Hannah (2g, 3a) would crash the crease and put an overhand shot short side 27 seconds later and the Mammoth had doubled their lead 2-0. Halifax would finally get on the board 2:02 into the frame. Clarke Petterson (2g, 1a) used the defenders as a screen, stutter stepped, pump faked and put a bounce shot five-hole 2-1 Mammoth. A little over three minutes later, Colorado would open it up with a four-goal run. Tim Edwards (1g) would tally his first goal of the season, on the run, he pump faked and ripped his shot top corner 5:06 in and it was 3-1. Andrew Kew (3g, 2a) said “I’m back” and from way out, he hesitated and fired a side arm shot near side 33 seconds later 4-1 Colorado. The next marker was a beauty. Will Malcom with the BTB pass to Kew on the doorstep and he put it down low inside pipe and the lead was four 5-1. Jumping Jack Hannah (2g, 3a) would chase Hill from the cage with his second tally on the night. Jack, with his signature jump shot, got underneath, drew Hill far side and snuck it in near side with 5:30 left in the half 6-1 Mammoth. What happened next was beyond strange. Thomspon (Halifax) and Stevens (Colorado) would scuffle and Jeffrey (Colorado) would also get in on the action sending all three to the sin bin. With 4:33 in the first half, Halifax had their chance on a 4 on 3 and they’d capitalize. Theede passed to Randy Staats (1g, 4a) who was open on the backside and from in close he found twine for a power play marker and 3:03 left in the second. After the first Mammoth penalty was released, they’d get nabbed for a delay of game for a defender in the crease and were down again this time 5 on 4. Fortunately for Colorado they kept Halifax out of the net to close out the frame. Score at the end of two: Mammoth 6—Thunderbirds 2.
HALFTIME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 29; Saves 26; Sv% .929; FO 4-10; PP 2-3; PIM 10; LB 35; CTO 4; TO 15
Halifax Thunderbirds—SOG 28; Saves 23; Sv% .759 (combined); FO 5-10; PIM 9; LB 36; CTO 1; TO 13
Halifax would win the draw to open the third but quickly turned over the ball. Once again, some great netminding kept the ball out of the net. At 5:08 Colorado would get called for holding, giving the Thunderbirds their sixth, yep, sixth man up opportunity. Staats and Cody Jamieson (3g) would team up on the give and go, Staats used the double screen allowing Jamieson to fire it over the top just before the man up ended and he’d get them within three 6-3 still in favor of Colorado. A little over 90 seconds later, Hannah with the backhand pass found Braedon Saris (1g, 1a) on the front door and with a quick stick and finish he put it glove side 7-3 Mammoth. Both teams were held scoreless until the final seconds when Colorado went man down for the seventh time with 45.6 seconds on the ticker. Jamieson stutter stepped, ripped an over-the-top shot and pinged the upper right corner for his second power play tally in the frame 14 seconds into the man up and the gap was back to three. Score at the end of three: Mammoth 7—Thunderbirds 4.
Fifteen minutes to go and a ton of time for the lead to change. But once again, Colorado found their mojo outscoring Halifax 4-2 in the fourth. Kew got it started. On the run, he fired a shot across his body, shooting from the wrong side of the floor and put it far side 1:39 in for his hat-trick and the Mammoth doubled up the Thunderbirds once more 8-4. Hat-tricks were the bomb in the fourth. On the ensuing draw, Jake Withers (8 LB) scooped the loosie, passed to Ryan Terefenko (1a) who fed the ball to Jamieson, he headed to the crease and put it nearside for his hat-trick, and it was 8-5. Halifax would put up their final marker on the night. The tally was a three-fer. In transition, Tyson Bell (1a) passed to Staats who passed back to Bell who found Petterson on the run and Petterson went five-hole 2:45 in and they got within two 8-6, but that was all she wrote as Colorado would close out the fourth on a three-goal run and a natural hat-trick by Will Malcom (3g, 6a). His first was in transition on a two on one. Connor Nock (2a) found Malcom on the run, and he buried it in the back of the net 6:52 in to make it 9-6. Four minutes later, Hannah would feed to Malcom, and he bounced the buzzer beater far side with 4:14 to go and the lead was four 10-6. Malcom’s final tally came with 1:57 on the ticker. He fired a shot around two defenders and found an opening on the near side pipe 11-6 Mammoth. Halifax would go with the empty net with 1:01 left in the contest, in the hopes the extra attacker would give them the upper hand. But the Mammoth defense was overpowering, they’d gain possession and burn out the clock. Final Score: Mammoth 11—Thunderbirds 6.
STARS OF THE GAME:
Will Malcom—Colorado Mammoth: 3g, 6a
Andrew Kew—Colorado Mammoth: 3g, 2a
Cody Jamieson—Halifax Thunderbirds: 3g
GAME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 47; Saves 49; Sv% .891; FO 7-21; PIM 14; PP 2-4; LB 58; CTO 9
Halifax Thunderbirds—SOG 55; Saves (combined) 36; Sv% .766; FO 14-21; PIM 11; PP 3-6; LB 67; CTO 3
NEXT UP:
The Colorado Mammoth (4-2) will return home to host the Oshawa FireWolves (2-4)*** at Ball Arena on Saturday January 24, 2026, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
The Halifax Thunderbirds (3-4) have a bye week and will return to action on Saturday January 31, 2026, and will play host to the Georgia Swarm (2-3)*** at Scotiabank Centre, game time 6:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+, while fans in Canada get to catch the action on TSN+. The game will also be televised on NLL+.
Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
***Record at the time of the article