The Colorado Mammoth returned to the Langley Event Centre in Vancouver on February 8, 2014 for their third game against the Vancouver Stealth in four weeks. The Mammoth were coming off back-to-back wins against the Calgary Roughnecks and Minnesota Swarm, both close, fast paced high scoring games. Hopes were extremely high that the Mammoth would again come away with a victory, and they did just that beating the Stealth by the score of 10-9.
When the Mammoth faced the Stealth at the Pepsi Center on January 4, 2014, they came out on top 13-12. However, when the two teams met again, this time in Vancouver on January 17, 2014, the Mammoth suffered a heart-breaking OT loss against the Stealth 14-13.
The Western Division rivals each wanted the win especially Vancouver who was coming off a four-game losing streak and sitting last in the NLL West with a record of 2-5. However, Colorado currently in third with a record of 3-5 was not going to let that happen.
The Mammoth were without NLL league leader in goals (25), forward Adam Jones #16 who suffered a separated shoulder against the Swarm on February 1, 2014 and is out for an undetermined period. The Stealth were without Team Captain and defenseman Kyle Sorenson #11, who was placed on injured reserve January 12, 2014; and forward Rhys Duch #10 who was serving a one game suspension stemming from an illegal cross-checking incident on Edmonton Rush defensemen John Lintz on January 25, 2014. Although each team was missing key players in their line-ups, both team’s other players picked up the slack.
Colorado opened the game with the first goal being scored by forward Dean Hill #73 at 2:39. Forwards John Grant Jr. #24, and Drew Westervelt each got an assist. Joey Cupido #82, transition would be called for an illegal cross-check (two minute minor) at 3:05 but Vancouver couldn’t capitalize on the power play opportunity. At 5:23 there would be two penalties when Mammoth forward Joel Dalgarno #96, and Stealth defensemen Matt Beers #2 were both called for roughing each receiving a two minute minor. Less than two minutes later at 7:04, Mammoth defensemen Dan Coates #37 was called for delay of game, receiving a two minute minor. The Stealth had too many men on the field at 9:32 (two minute minor), but Colorado missed an opportunity to score with the Stealth killing off the penalty. The next goal wouldn’t come until 14:25 in the first quarter when Mammoth forward Casey Powell #22 would score assisted by forward Sean Pollock #17. It seemed that the first quarter was plagued by penalties and very little scoring. However, strong goal tending by Mammoth rookie Dillon Ward #45, kept the Stealth out of goal and the Mammoth were on top 2-0.
Heading into the second quarter, Stealth forward Cliff Smith #5, would be called for elbowing at 3:01 (two minute minor). The penalties continued with Stealth defensemen Chris O’Dougherty being called for delay of game at 7:10 and another two minute minor. But that didn’t stop the Stealth from scoring. Vancouver defensemen Matt Beers #2 would score a short-handed goal at 7:38 and goal tender Tyler Richards #00 received the assist. Dalgarno would be called for tripping at 10:20 (two minute minor); Stealth forward Tyler Digby #7 received a roughing penalty at 11:37 and again, another two minute minor. Grant Jr., took advantage and scored a power play goal at 13:02, Casey Powell #22 had the assist. With each team only scoring one goal, and multiple penalties, fans were wondering if this was going to be a low scoring game with penalties outnumbering goals. At the end of the first half, the Mammoth were still up 3-1.
That would all change heading into the second half. Digby would score at 1:31, assisted by defensemen Justin Salt #19, and goaltender Tyler Richards #00. But the Mammoth would capitalize on a two-on-one opportunity when it looked like the Stealth were retreating to the bench thinking the play was over and at 2:51, Mammoth transition player Mat MacLeod #15 scored with an assist by Grant Jr. It wasn’t until 7:33 into the third quarter that there would be another goal. Stealth transition player Ilija Gajic #15 would score, assisted by defensemen Mike Grimes #23. The Mammoth quickly answered back at 8:30 when Grant Jr. scored, with assists going to forward Westervelt, and defensemen Bob Snider #41. Grant Jr. used his body to over-power Stealth defensemen Chris O’Dougherty #24 with a nice spin move and ripped the ball into the net. But the Stealth weren’t done yet. Digby would score at 9:44, with the assists going to forwards Cody Bremner #12, and Lewis Ratcliff #42. Digby powered around his man, caught the ball with one hand, took a side-arm shot and put it over the shoulder of Mammoth goal tender Dillon Ward. At 10:13 Westervelt was called for a facemask five minute major; and Stealth transition player Nick Weiss #44 was called for spearing also receiving a five minute major. Stealth forward Brett Hickey #22 put another goal in net at 10:39 assisted by defensemen Jeff Moleski #3, and Mike Grimes #23. Digby would put up a hat-trick goal at 11:24, assisted by forward Brett Bucktooth #26, giving the Stealth their first lead in the game. But the Mammoth would quickly answer back at 12:16 when forward Pollock had a pick and roll and scored, with assists going to forward Powell, and transition MacLeod #15. Although the Stealth outscored the Mammoth 5-3 in the third quarter, the game was tied 6-6.
The scoring started quickly in the fourth quarter when with the clock at :42, Pollock would score a pin-point goal against Stealth goalie Richards, assisted by transition Cupido. Pollock’s goal would again give the Mammoth the lead. Then when it looked as though the Stealth were setting up for a goal, a pass went over the head of a Stealth player, and Mammoth player Cupido anticipated the shot, got the rebound off the boards and beat Stealth transition player Tyler Garrison #91 after a couple of fakes, and on a breakaway scored at 4:10. Mammoth defensemen Colton Clark #10 would be called for holding at 4:48 and received a two minute minor, but again the Stealth could not capitalize on the power play opportunity. The Stealth would score again at 7:32 when Matt Beers got a behind the back feed by Digby and scored with an amazing diving shot, assists going to Digby and Grimes. Bucktooth would score at 8:05 when he got low on Mammoth goalie Ward, shot right and went around his hip, the assist going to Bremner. Mammoth defensemen Dan Ball #33, got his second goal of the year at 9:20. He went undetected in on the right wing wall, with a great feed by Powell and an assist from Mat MacLeod. The Mammoth weren’t done yet. Dalgarno would score at 11:04 when he tucked it top corner after a behind the back feed from Grant Jr., with assists from Grant Jr. and MacLeod. This would put the Mammoth up by the score of 10-8. Stealth transition player Gajic was called for holding at 11:16 (two minute minor), and less than 40 seconds later at 11:55, Stealth defensemen Curtis Hodgson #6 would score a short-handed goal with an assist by Beers. The first goal of the year for Hodgson was a top-shelf side right handed shot bringing the Stealth to within one.
Vancouver pulled goalie Richards with 30 seconds left on the clock hoping to tie the game, but after a shot off target by Stealth forward Ratcliff at 14:35, players from both teams were hunting for the loose ball, seconds were ticking off the clock and the Stealth could not come up with possession to call a much needed time-out. Mammoth defensemen Clark would come up with the ball, only 10.4 seconds left on the clock and the Mammoth quickly called a time-out. Mammoth forward Westervelt had possession of the ball after the time-out, came around the back of the net, and attempted a mid-field pass which was intercepted by Stealth forward Digby. He had Beers alone in front of the net, but Beers missed the pass. Stealth forward Bucktooth came up with the loose ball and with two seconds left on the clock, shot on Ward who stoned the ball and time expired. The final score ended with the Mammoth victorious over the Stealth 10-9.
Although the stats for each team were very close, the Stealth could not come up with the win. They are on a five game losing streak while the Mammoth are on a three game winning streak.
Colorado has figured out how to win games. They have strengthened their roster with the return of Casey Powell; the offense has stepped it up in the absence of Adam Jones; Dillon Ward has been spectacular in goal playing like a veteran, not a rookie, and making spectacular saves; and the defense is keeping top scorers from putting the ball in net.
Vancouver has six days to figure out what is going wrong, and what they need to do to fix the problems before they return to Denver on Friday February 14, 2014 to face the Mammoth for the fourth time in five weeks. Can the return of Kyle Sorenson and Rhys Duch make a difference? It’s hard to say. Vancouver will be itching to even up the series and break their losing streak, but the pendulum may not swing their way and the Mammoth could again come out on top against the Stealth.
