Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©
Featured Image Photo Credit: Steve Hiscock
The Colorado Mammoth (12-5) had one thing in mind when they entered SaskTel Centre on Saturday April 11, 2026…they wanted to defeat the Saskatchewan Rush (11-6). The head-to-head record Colorado had against Saskatchewan was dismal at best having won only 6 while the Rush had won 23. But tonight was different. The Mammoth came out guns a blazin’ and did not allow the Rush to score for 27 minutes and seven seconds. The second half looked a little dicey for Colorado and Mammoth fans were wondering if their team could break the cycle. Without Andrew Kew, the league leading scorer out of the line up tonight, it was up to the other stars of the offense, Will Malcom and Jack Hannah to shine and that they did. In the end, Colorado kept Saskatchewan out of the net for the last 3:27 moving them into first place in the league and also guaranteeing a home playoff game. Final Score: Mammoth 13—Rush 11.
Colorado would go man up 3:43 into the first and they’d get their first of 5 power play tallies. Just 15 seconds later, Will Malcom (3g, 4a) was able to sneak one in and put it five-hole for a man up marker at the 3:58 mark and it didn’t take long for him to put up another. Malcom blew past his defender, made his way to the crease and put it far side 4:33 in and they were up 2-0. It took about three minutes for another tally to go on the score sheet. Dylan McIntosh (1g) got the feed from Malcom, went horizontal across the crease and his shot went far side low with 6:53 left in the first and the lead was 3-0. Scoring stalled for a full five while the teams battled and with 1:50 to go, Braedon Saris got the inside feed, flipped to Owen Rahn (1g, 1a) he came down the middle, and his high to low shot went under the arm of Scigliano and the crowd went silent. The first ended with the Mammoth leading 4-0.
On the opening draw of the second, Mammoth face-off specialist Matthew Paolatto went down with an injury and would leave the game giving Colorado fans concern not only for his condition, but how they’d do without him as he has been a key to the Mammoth success this season. The Rush would see Robert Church get nailed for consecutive penalties 3:51 in, a “delay of game’ and an “unsportsmanlike conduct”. This gave Colorado back-to-back power play opportunities, and they would capitalize on both. The first came from James Bucktooth (1g, 1a) who would get his first career NLL goal, and it was a beauty. Bucktooth was set up behind the cage, got the feed from Hannah, came around the side and popped one in on Scigliano and his power play tally put them up 5-0. Then Braedon Saris (1g, 3a) notched the next. He got the BTB feed from Jack Hannah, nailed it far pipe and the score sheet showed 6-0 Mammoth. Unfortunately for the Rush they’d immediately go man down again and Colorado took advantage once more. Saris on the backdoor cut, fed to Malcom who was set up behind his defender, he put it inside pipe for his hat trick and they were up by a touchdown 7-0. Scoring stalled for almost five and the Rush would finally get on the board after 27.07 without a goal. Austin Shanks (1g) would sting the top corner with a nice overhand shot with 2:53 left in the half and it was 7-1. After some sloppy play, the teams were fighting for a loose ball on the boards. Tim Edwards (1g, 2a) grabbed the loosie, headed down the floor, faked left, got Scigliano to drop to his knees, he went right and with 40.9 seconds left in the half, he put it over his left shoulder to close out the half. Score at the end of two: Mammoth 8—Rush 1.
HALFTIME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 22; Saves 17; Sv% .944; FO 5-11; PP 4-4; PIM 2; TO 11; LB 33
Saskatchewan Rush—SOG 18; Saves 14; Sv% .636; FO 6-11; PP 0-1; PIM 8; TO 16; LB 31
Rush C0-Bench Bosses Derek Keenan and Jimmy Quinlan must have had one heck of a talk with the team at the break, because they came out in the third with a bang 2:05 into the frame and put up four in 33 seconds. Brock Haley (3g) got it started from up top with a wicked shot five hole on Ward and it was 8-2. Robert Church (2g) was next when he crashed the cage, and with a dip and dunk over the right shoulder 16 seconds later made it 8-3. The next two came right off the draw. Jake Naso (2g) who hadn’t put up a tally this season, would go back-to-back. The first was on the give and go with Messenger, and he fired it far pipe 11 seconds later and they had cut the lead in half 8-4. On the ensuing draw, Naso broke down the floor and buried it five hole six seconds later and the arena came alive as their team had closed the gap 8-5 with plenty of lacrosse to go. But Colorado wasn’t about to give up their lead. That’s when Jack Hannah (4g, 5a) went into action. He put a beautiful swim move then a face dodge on his defender, and in Hannah fashion, he jumped, brought his knees up, brought his stick down and deposited the shot down low 3:25 in and the lead was 9-5. The second Mammoth penalty came 5:02 into the third and this time, Sask would capitalize. Robert Church (2g) made his way to the net, found twine just 12 seconds into man up opportunity and the score board read 9-6. Now that they had their momentum, why stop now. Zach Manns (2g, 3a) on the run, fired a low-to-low shot off his back foot and found an opening on the inside pipe with seven to go in the third and the gap was two with Colorado still ahead 9-7. The Mammoth put up the final two in the frame. Jalen Chaster (1g, 1a) got inside, was on the doorstep and found a way to sneak one in past Scigliano with 1:10 on the ticker and it was 10-7. For the second time in the contest, the Rush would get nabbed for another penalty immediately following a Mammoth goal, and once again Colorado took advantage. Malcom flipped a pass to Hannah; he took a couple of steps and fired a laser far pipe with 21 seconds left and would close out the frame. Score at the end of three: Mammoth 11—Rush 7.
The Rush knew that time was running out for them to keep their position in the standings, so they played the final 15 like their lives depended upon it. Manns got it started 1:45 in while in transition, he headed to the cage, leapt up, faked high and brought his stick down low five hole and it was 11-8. The teams fought hard for the next four before Hannah notched his hat-trick. With a no look BTB shot, he picked the top corner 5:22 in and the four-goal lead was reestablished. But once again the Rush fought back. Haley was way out and nailed his shot far side corner and it was 12-9. A minute later from up top, he wound up and fired tallying his hat-trick and Mammoth fans started to panic because the Rush were within two. On the next possession, Adam Jay went to the sin bin for an illegal cross check. This would turn out to be the only man up Colorado did not capitalize, but the Rush would. Keenan got to the doorstep and found a way to bury his shot down low, and they were within one 12-11. For the third time in the second half, Hannah would tally a marker right after a power play. He stepped into his shot and bounced one into the back of the net and they were up by two with plenty of time for Saskatchewan to strike. But Colorado held strong for the last two and a half including some great saves by Ward. As the clock wound down, the Mammoth knew they had done it. Final Score: Mammoth 13—Rush 11.
This win not only gave Dillon Ward his first victory against the Rush since January 18, 2020; he also surpassed Anthony Cosmo in saves, moving him into 3rd place all time in saves; and this victory also put them into first place in the standings and guaranteed them a first round playoff game at home. This loss also moved the Rush from 3rd in the standings to 6th.
GAME STATS:
Colorado Mammoth—SOG 41; Saves 37; Sv% .781; FO 9-28; PP 5-6; PIM 4; TO 40; LB 63
Saskatchewan Rush—SOG 48; Saves 28; Sv% .683; FO 19-28; PP 1-2; PIM 12; TO 36; LB 78
STARS OF THE GAME:
Jack Hannah – Colorado Mammoth: 4g, 5a
Will Malcom – Colorado Mammoth: 3g, 4a
Zach Manns – Saskatchewan Rush: 2g, 3a
NEXT UP:
The Colorado Mammoth (12-5) will close out the regular season when they head north of the border to face the Calgary Roughnecks (5-12) on Saturday April 18, 2026, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. The game can be seen on ESPN+ for fans in the USA and TSN+ for fans in Canada. It will also be televised on NLL+.
The Saskatchewan Rush (11-6) will close out their regular season and play host to the Toronto Rock (11-6) also on Saturday April 18, 2026, game time 9:00 p.m. EST. Fans in the USA can see the game on ESPN+. This is the NLL Friday Night game for fans in Canada, and they can catch the action on both TSN and TSN+. It will also be televised on NLL+.
Di Miller, Colorado Mammoth Correspondent
Lacrosse is Awesome©