Largest crowd of NLL Season Watch Crawford’s Six Goals Leads Mammoth in a Runaway.
The Colorado Mammoth (6-4) decimated the Calgary Roughnecks (3-6) 18-9 in front of 15,898 screaming fans inside the Loud House. This was the largest crowd to attend a National Lacrosse League game this season.
Colorado was running from the start, opening up a four goal lead before Calgary would get their first goal. Stephen Keogh started the ball rolling for the Mammoth, then team leading scorer Eli McLaughlin scored twice and Brent Adams followed with the fourth goal for Colorado.
Garrett McIntosh would finally get the Roughnecks on the board, but 39 seconds later Jacob Ruest closed the scoring out and Colorado would hold a 5-1 lead.
The second quarter started out on the right track for Calgary as Tyson Bell and Dane Dobbie would cut the lead in half at 5-3. But just as quick, Colorado replied with two of their own goals (Eli McLaughlin and Callum Crawford). Calgary would score three of the next four goals of the quarter, and would trail 8-6.
Calgary started to get some momentum in the second quarter, but every time they put a run together, the Mammoth would be there to put a halt on it. Dillon Ward was stellar in goal in the first 30 minutes making some big saves early on. Christian Del Bianco started in goal for the Roughnecks, but was relieved by Frankie Scigliano (23 saves-31 shots). DelBianco, however, (12 saves-22 shots) finished the game.
When the second half started so did the runaway train. Calgary would score their only goal of the third quarter before Colorado would run off five straight to hold a 13-7 lead. Callum Crawford scored three times during this run.
Not much changed in the fourth quarter. Curtis Dickson would score just 25 seconds into the quarter, then Creighton Reid and Crawford, with the sock-trick goal, would reply. Dickson would score again at 5:35 to make the score 15-9, but the Mammoth scored the next three by Keogh, McLaughlin, Adams to close the scoring in favor of the Mammoth 18-9.
The victory puts Colorado just one game out of first place. Should Vancouver upset Saskatchewan tonight, next week Colorado could be playing for first place. Even without the upset, a Mammoth win next week can really make the western conference very tight at the top.
Curtis Dickson (2 G, 3 A) led the offense for Calgary. Seven additional players each tallied a goal.
The runaway train known as the Mammoth offense was led by Callum Crawford (6 G, 3 A) whose sock trick was the first of his career. Eli McLaughlin (4 G, 3 A), Stephen Keogh (3 G, 2 A) and Brent Adams chipped in with two goals and two assists.
Calgary will host the Georgia Swarm (7-1) tonight.
Colorado will travel to face division leader Saskatchewan next Saturday at 8:30 pm.
