Blue Cross Arena played host to a monster matchup Saturday night between the Rochester Knighthawks and the Colorado Mammoth. Rochester came into this game winners of two of their last three. On the other side, Colorado needed just one more win to match their wins total from all last year.
This game was quite the back-and-forth, as it featured seven ties throughout. Colorado used a late surge in the fourth quarter to tie it with under five to play. Western New York native, Zed Williams buried the game winner for Colorado with just three seconds left in the game. The Mammoth snuck away with this one, 11-10.
As we said, this one was a teeter-totter for a vast majority of the sixty minutes. There was a feeling out process of sorts to start it off. Will Malcom got Colorado on the board first, almost six minutes into the game. Ryan Smith had the equalizer, but Eli McLaughlin answered right back with his first on the power play. 2-1 Mammoth after one.
Business picked up in the second, as there were six goals scored, three aside. McLaughlin opened the frame the same way he closed out the first with his second of the night. Rochester’s three goals came consecutively at this point in the quarter, as Thomas McConvey got his first and Ryan Lanchbury got his first and second. Colorado, once again, swung the momentum in their favor at the end of the quarter, as Malcom and Owen Rahn rattled off two-in-a-row. 5-4 Mammoth at the break.
Both goaltenders had their fair share of work in the first half, both being hip to the task. On one side, Dillon Ward was sensational, stopping 18 of 22. On the other, Riley Hutchcraft almost matched him every step of the way, making 18 saves on 23 shots.
Whatever momentum Colorado had at the end of the second, was completely flipped Rochester’s way by the end of the third. This was one of those games where a one or two goal lead felt safe and unsafe at the exact same time.
The Knighthawks came out in the third and tied/took the lead under two minutes into the frame. Two-straight from Ian Llord and McConvey, gave Rochester the lead back. Less than a minute after McConvey’s, Connor Kelly tied it right back up for the Mammoth. Kyle Waters and McLaughlin traded goals to keep it deadlocked, but it was Rochester this time who surged at the end of the quarter. Two-straight from Connor Fields on the power play and Waters, gave the Knighthawks a two-goal lead that could have been a 10-goal lead. 9-7 Knighthawks after three.
It’s been said on many occasions, don’t ever count out the Mammoth. Their offense is one of the scariest in the league and they are backed by a world-class goaltender in Ward.
The fourth quarter was a stalemate for the first seven-ish minutes. Tim Edwards finally lit the lamp but was quickly answered by Curtis Knight. Knight’s goal was the last one of the game for the Knighthawks. Colorado rattled off two-straight less than two minutes later, one from McLaughlin and the other from Malcom. Blink your eyes and we were deadlocked at 10 with 3:10 to play. Those two Mammoth goals were scored 29 seconds apart.
After some back-and-forth and phenomenal defense, Ward made a ridiculous shoulder save with 20 seconds left, resulting in a loose ball recovery and Colorado taking a timeout. The Mammoth shot up the field and set up shop, when Zed Williams received a pass right in front of the crease, turned, and fired a bullet that beat Hutchcraft. That would be the dagger, as there were 2.3 seconds left on the clock. Your final from the 585, 11-10 Mammoth.
Players of the game for Colorado were McLaughlin (4+1), Malcom (3+1), and Kelly (1+3). Ward was as stout as they come down the stretch, stopping 39 of 49 in total. For Rochester, Lanchbury (2+4), McConvey (2+2), and Fields (1+7) led the way. Hutchcraft was outstanding the entire game, faltering a bit late. He made 33 saves on 44 shots.
Colorado (5-3) continues to climb the standings. They look to continue their winning ways as they travel home to host the Toronto Rock (2-5) this Saturday at 9:30pm. Rochester (3-6) looks to bounce back and climb the standings in their own right. Their next contest is on the road, as they travel to take on Philadelphia (5-2). That game is also this Saturday at 8pm.
