With two wins and six losses the Colorado Mammoth sit last in the West but are only three games out of first place. Here are three Mammoth players that are making a positive difference and three that need to improve their game.
UP
Adam Jones
The National Lacrosse League’s 2012 rookie of the year has been lighting it up this season for the Mammoth. In 8 games Jones has recorded 35 points while finding the back of the net 16 times. Jones has been extremely accurate with his shots this season; 68 of the 89 shots he’s taken have landed on goal. Jones has also chipped in with 50 loose balls and has been one of the most consistent Mammoth thus far.
Down
Ilija Gajic
Gajic has been struggling this year and has yet to pot a goal. With only 3 assists this year Gajic sits near the bottom of the Mammoth’s scoring leaders. He’s managed to scoop up 58 loose balls but the majority of those were from face-offs; which is another area he’s struggling with. Out of the 191 draws he’s taken this season, he’s lost 119 giving him a win percentage of just 37%. The Mammoth rely heavily on Gajic in the face-off circle and he needs to find a way to start winning more of them in the second half of the season.
Up
John Grant Jr.
In just 8 games played Grant Junior has 46 points and is on pace to once again break the 100 point barrier. He also has 10 power play goals and has been named first star in 2 of Colorado’s games this year. His biggest game came in a week 5 victory versus the Minnesota Swarm. The Mammoth won 15-9 and he was in on 11 of those goals (5 goals 6 assists). Grant has been chipping in defensively as well and has 13 forced turnovers. At 38 years old Grant is showing no signs of slowing down and is still one of the most exciting players to watch in the NLL.
Down
Rory Smith
Smith has been having a rough season with the Mammoth. He’s been virtually invisible in the 7 games that he’s dressed. He’s never been known for his offensive prowess but his 0 points midway through the season is still disappointing. Colorado acquired Smith for his toughness but he’s been playing a pretty soft game so far and opponents are not intimidated by him anymore. He has to start contributing more and he needs to make his presence felt when he’s on the turf. Smith needs to worry less about being disciplined and go back to playing the rough and tough game we saw from him in previous seasons.
Up
Jordan McBride
The sophomore forward has been having an excellent season and should easily surpass his 2012 totals. Last year he had 10 goals and 10 assists in 11 games. This year he’s already amassed 15 points in just 6 games and is well the road to shattering those rookie year totals. McBride looks to be playing with more confidence and seems to be more patient with the ball this year. His skills and smarts are going to make him a great player in this league for years to come.
Down
Goaltending
Colorado has struggled to find a consistent number one goalie and it’s been their weakest area by far. Chris Levis was released from the team after just three games while posting a goals against average (GAA) of 18.92. Matt Roik was the next goalie to go; Colorado sent him packing just after the mid way point of the season. Roik had 2 wins and 2 losses when he was let go while posting a GAA of 13.66. Dan Lewis is winless with 3 losses but has saved 76 of the 100 shots he’s faced for a GAA of 11.06. Lewis hasn’t been terrible but still needs to get better if Colorado wants to do any damage in the second half of the season. Tye Belanger was just moved off the injured reserved list and will most likely back up Dan Lewis for the rest of the 2013 season. Goaltending has cost the Mammoth in several games this year and if they hope to make the playoffs they’ll need some consistency between the pipes.
