Justin Ivey, Co-Editor
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Di Miller
The Colorado Mammoth (5-2) hosted the Oshawa Firewolves (2-6) Saturday night as a winter storm covered much of the US. There was no cold front inside Ball Arena. Recently retired Eric Law, a fan favorite in Colorado for his time with lacrosse at every level in the State, from high school to the MLL/PLL Denver Outlaws, was down on the boards for the game keeping the microphone hot with the booth. With creative scorers and powerful sticks on all sides of the turf, both teams ran wild, starting by combing for eight goals in the first quarter and another seven in the second with only one powerplay opportunity (and goal). Colorado was paced by budding star Andrew Kew (4G, 6A), and Will Malcolm (2G, 6A). Kew, playing his first game at home in front of the Mammoth faithful, put on a show. Oshawa, led by Alex Simmons (4G, 6A) and Tye Kurtz (4G, 2A) paced Colorado for the whole evening. In an interesting twist, Oshawa newcomer Dawson Theede (1G), acquired in a trade this past week from Halifax, played Colorado last week. Doug Jamieson (14GA, 38SV) took over 19th all-time on the career saves list with his 4,076th coming in the third quarter of a close game, but despite the record setting night, Dillon Ward (11GA, 49SV) outdueled him in a tight fourth quarter for the Mammoth win. Final Score: Oshawa Firewolves – 10, Colorado Mammoth – 15.
Oshawa found some luck to start the game as Theede scored the game’s opening goal. Colorado’s defense body blocked a shot from Dyson Williams (4A) and Theede caught the soft rebound alone on the crease, shaking a surprised Ward back into the net while scoring. Kew assisted the answer for Colorado after executing a beautiful pick and roll with Malcolm who finished high. Oshawa continued to push and Simmons rolled his way over a screen and unleashed a laser from outside, giving the Firewolves a lead once more. Simmons made it two in a row with another outside laser, this time while running straight on from the bench. With 7:55 left, Oshawa was suddenly up 3-1. Kew got Colorado back on track, showing his own range with his first goal in front of the Mammoth home crowd. Malcom kept it going, dancing for space with his defender before launching a sidearm bounce shot for a score just 26 seconds later. Thomas Vela (2G, 2A) gave Colorado their first lead of the night scoring on another well executed pick and roll play with Kew steering. Shortly after, Kew again found enough space to take a well-aimed shot that took a bounce off the crossbar into Jamieson’s back before hitting the net. The two-goal deficit flipped to a two-goal lead with four goals in 1:47. At the end of the first quarter, Colorado led Oshawa 5-3.
Theede started the second quarter in the penalty box, after jawing at Colorado after the first quarter whistle. Kew struck first, scoring his hat trick goal on Colorado’s second man-up possession on their only power play of the night with another outside snipe. Unfortunately, it did not lead to any momentum. Kurtz brought the Oshawa deficit back to two, scoring from inside after some finesse passing around the turf from the offensive unit. Simmons followed it up with his hat trick goal, running into another shot off the bench. Eight seconds later, Zac Masson (1G) made it a three-goal Firewolves’ run, scoring his first goal of the season and the game was tied 6-6 with 10:32 left in the first half. Tim Edwards (1G, 3A) halted the run, scoring in transition and Colorado had the lead once more. Oshawa almost answered immediately, but a Kurtz goal was called back for a man in the crease. Kurtz wasn’t shaken and he bounced in a side-arm shot through Ward’s five hole with 7:10 remaining, tying the game again. The Mammoth had another answer. Owen Rahn (3G), after fighting for his second ground ball rebound behind the net of the possession, quickly dunked on an unsuspecting Jamieson giving Colorado the lead back with 6:00 left. Both teams had some great looks to end the half, but all the ball would find was pipe and goalie until the horn. At the half, Colorado led Oshawa 8-7.
The second half face off was old school lacrosse. The ground ball took 35 seconds to get scooped up from the turf as the scrum moved back and forth. 2:06 into the quarter, Oshawa started their first power play opportunity after an illegal body check on Colorado. After possessing the ball for nearly the entire two minutes, they could not beat Ward. Colorado finally got an offensive possession and they capitalized. Braedon Saris (1G, 3A) ripped a corner over Jamieson’s falling shoulder for the first goal of the second half. The Mammoth now led by two with 9:57 remaining in the third quarter. Goals were harder to come by in the third, but Rahn scored his second of the night with 7:29 left on a quick under hand release after a cross-turf pass from Malcolm. Jack Hannah (1G, 6A), grinding all game in the crease, scored quickly next with a shifty dodge and twister finish. After allowing the goal, Jamieson made the next save and took over 19th all-time in the NLL for career saves with his 4,076th. Simmons finally stopped the Colorado run with a bounce shot through Ward’s legs while jumping through the crease. Kurtz followed it up with his third goal of the game (and his 200th NLL point), and Oshawa was now down three with 3:56 left in the third. Kew matched Simmons with his fourth of the night, shooting on the run to beat Jamieson after gaining a step on his defender with 1:00 left. At the end of the third quarter, Colorado led Oshawa 12-9.
Colorado ended up with two men in the box 20 seconds into the fourth quarter, and the three-goal lead was in trouble. The crowd, very upset with the call on the turf, unsportsmanlike and delay of game on Ward, cheered for every save but eventually Kurtz stung the top corner with 52 seconds of penalty time remaining. In the remaining time five on four, Oshawa wouldn’t score, and for the next few minutes, neither offense could hit the net despite odd man breaks, cannon shots, and crease jumps. Finally, with 3:54 left in the game, Vela released a twister from the middle of the zone that found the net and Colorado was up three. Just 33 seconds later though, Patrick Kaschalk (1G) was open on the two-on-one fast break and beat a sliding Ward to get the deficit back to two. With 2:14 left, Rahn dunked in his second goal from behind the net to complete his first career hat trick and the Mammoth kept their distance. Oshawa ran Jamieson to the bench on their next possession for the extra attacker and came up empty. With 1:10 left Owen Down (1G) picked up the loose ball, ran it all the way down the turf, and hit the empty net for the 15-10 lead. Andrew Kidd replaced Jamieson in net and Colorado ran out the shot clock after winning the faceoff. Kidd went to the bench, and Oshawa took a few shots, but Ward continued to make saves until the horn. Final Score: Oshawa Firewolves – 10, Colorado Mammoth – 15.
Up Next:
The Colorado Mammoth (5-2) host the Buffalo Bandits on Saturday, January 31 at 9:00 PM EST.
The Oshawa Firewolves (2-6) travel to play the Las Vegas Desert Dogs on Saturday, January 31 at 10:00 PM EST.