COLORADO MAMMOTH (8-6) VS. SASKATCHEWAN RUSH (10-4)
SAT. MARCH 29 | 7 P.M. MT | SASKTEL CENTRE
ESPNU | ESPN+ | NLL+
DENVER – Heading as far east as the squad had to in order to entertain a Sunday afternoon matinee matchup was a bit of a barrier in itself, as some of the boys were on four and five-hour plane flights. Add in a last-minute doctoring out of Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward (as he awaited the birth of his second child) and all of a sudden we’re talking about a different ask.
While rookie netminder Nathan Whittom stopped 39-of-53 during his career-first start, it’s not an easy task filling the shoes of an All-Pro in Ward. Specifically within a defense that compliments Ward’s high-arc approach. And while it would be easy to dismiss the loss as a bit of a one-off, quirky adventure, the truth continues to center itself around Colorado’s hit or miss offense. Unfortunately since losing both Eli McLaughlin (Hold Out List) and Zed Williams (Season-Ending Injured Reserve List), not to mention a banged-up Connor Kelly, the Mammoth’s offensive unit just hasn’t looked or performed the same. Which is to be expected to a certain point, but the idea that Colorado has only managed 12 goals once since registering 13 conversions against the Albany FireWolves back on January 11 suggests the team has found its offensive ceiling this time around. Which will only mean Ward and the D-zone regulars will need to continue holding opposing teams to 12 or less: Something the Mammoth had done during its recent two-game win streak before dropping a 14-9 decision to the Ottawa Black Bears.
RELATED: Colorado Drops 14-9 Decision to Ottawa Black Bears Sunday
Featuring a 5-4 advantage for the home team following the opening 30 minutes, Whittom was looking good early, as was the entire team. Hell, Colorado eventually established a 7-6 lead in the third quarter thanks to three-consecutive markers. However, the Burgundy Boys would be outscored 8-2 from there as phenom forward Jeff Teat had himself a game. Ending the night with a game-high nine points (5g, 4a), the talent managed a sock trick just two days before, reassuring fans of the sport that he is indeed alive and ready to power Ottawa to a late-season push.
Ryan Lee’s eight points (3g, 5a) paced Mammoth scoring efforts, with Will Malcom (2g, 3a) and Ben McDonald (2g, 0) the only other men to manage two goals for Colorado. Between the goalie transactions, long trip, odd faceoff time and it being the first time the two organizations clashed under their current branding, it’s gone and out the window at this point as the Mammoth bring an 8-6 record into the approaching Week 18 slate. Thanks to yet another hat trick from Flyin’ Ryan Lee last week, No. 16 is now ranked seventh all-time in Mammoth history with 121 conversions in 75 regular season appearances.
With just five games total taking place over the weekend, the league and at least 13 of its 14 teams (with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs officially eliminated from postseason contention) will be watching each and every matchup, which is likely the case for the remainder of the regular season as teams continue to secure their spots, seeding and potentially even home field advantage. Knowing each of the NLL’s currently Top 8-ranked teams are duking it out means there will be some movement in the league standings, alongside some possible scenarios to welcome another team or two into the fold.
Both the (11-3) Buffalo Bandits and (10-4) Saskatchewan Rush officially punched tickets to this year’s quickly approaching postseason over the weekend, meaning just six spots remain. Sitting at (9-5), the No. 3-ranked Halifax Thunderbirds are set for an action-packed showcase against the (7-7) Georgia Swarm, which could have grand implications on several scenarios. If Halifax is able to win, they’ll likely move into the “clinched” pool, potentially needing some other wins and losses to officially join the group. Regardless, if they meet the 10-win mark, they’ll be in sooner or later, as there aren’t that many teams primed to hit the mark in 2025. Two already have, two more are likely, with Halifax being one of them.
Bringing matching records alongside the No. 4 San Diego Seals at 8-6, Colorado enters the Week 18 slate ranked No. 5 overall, just one spot away from potentially claiming home field advantage during the first round of playoff action. At the same time, neither San Diego or Colorado can officially secure their spots this weekend. And with the Seals claiming a 14-11 victory over the Mammoth earlier this season, the Mammoth will need to climb a game ahead of the Seals should they want the home berth. Knowing Colorado defeated Halifax 19-14 the following weekend means they’ll have the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Thunderbirds, but need to take care of their own business should they want to open the season-ending session inside the LOUD HOUSE.
Further complicating matters and applying some pressure from below, both the (8-7) Rochester Knighthawks and (7-7) Vancouver Warriors are finding their stride at the right time. And, not that Colorado will actually get to CHOOSE a poison, but the Seals and Knighthawks are set to battle this weekend, meaning one team will pick up a W and one will take a half step back. Fans rooting for a home playoff game will be rooting for a Rochester win, especially with Colorado owning the head-to-head advantage over the Knighthawks, having served them an 11-10 loss in late January. The Warriors, now victorious in each of their last two games, will have a tough draw against the defending champion Buffalo Bandits, so it’d be a shocker if the Warriors improved to 8-7 this weekend.
Unfortunately, following Sunday’s loss, there are plenty of scenarios that remain in which Colorado does not qualify for the playoffs. Of course, one of the (7-7) Georgia Swarm or (7-8) Calgary Roughnecks would need to rise into the Top 8 in order to push Colorado out, with each of the teams currently surrounding the Mammoth in the standings continuing to keep their head above the water.
As of this week, the most likely outcome involves Colorado hitting the road for the first round, potentially settling into anywhere from the No. 5 to No. 7 seed. And while the Mammoth will have to keep their eye on matchups around the league for a little bit of help here and there, none of it matters unless the Burgundy Boys can manage AT LEAST a 2-2 record here over their final four opportunities. A quick glance at the schedule suggests zero of the team’s remaining games are easy wins, with a looming road date against the Saskatchewan Rush in focus before closing out the slate by hosting both the Bandits and Rush before travelling to Calgary for the regular season finale. The Mammoth historically haven’t performed too well in either Saskatoon or Calgary. Add in the idea they are both road battles against quality opponents and it’s clear Colorado will need to take advantage of its final two games inside Ball Arena. But again, knowing the contests are against the first two teams to secure their respective postseason berth suggests Colorado very much as its work cut out for it to earn a spot.
That looks, sounds and reads like a whole lotta “What If,” to us. But isn’t this the most fun, dramatic and energetic stretch of the season? Regardless of Colorado’s odds in any of its final four matches, fans are going to want to be inside the LOUD HOUSE both April 5 (vs. Buffalo) and April 13 (a rare home Sunday game vs. Saskatchewan) as the March to May takes center stage throughout the epic postseason push!
With Connor Kelly on the shelf for the past two games while the offense has dried up a bit, Colorado doesn’t have many top-ranked guys when it comes to O-zone figures, as Ryan Lee’s team-high 76 points (24g, 52a) remain tied for the thirteenth-most in the NLL. His 52 assists qualify him for the lone Top-10 ranked feat, as he sits tied with Vancouver’s Keegan Bal for the 10th-most helpers. However, on the defensive end of the equation, captain Robert Hope continues to set the bar, ranked No. 6 overall in loose balls (136) while joining teammates Jordan Gilles and Warren Jeffrey (who are both tied for the eighth-most blocked shots at 15) ranked within the NLL’s blocked shots leader at No. 7 with 18 blocks. And while netminder Dillon Ward missed last weekend’s showcase, he remains ranked No. 6 in saves (538), No. 5 in GAA (10.48) and No. 2 in save percentage (.798) during yet another quality season between the pipes. With some extra motivation and another mouth to feed at home, we can only assume “The Wall” will rise to the occasion throughout these final four games. The question remains: Will the O-zone be able to deliver with its shrinking personnel pool?
Yet, the Rush, themselves, have been struggling to score a bit lately, recently held to nine or fewer goals in each of the team’s last three contests. Having started the season with a whopping 9-2 record, Saskatchewan is suddenly 1-2 over the course of its last three games, which includes an 8-7 win over the Georgia Swarm sandwiched between a 9-7 loss to the Buffalo Bandits and most recently a 17-9 loss to the Halifax Thunderbirds. Despite becoming the first team of the year to clinch a postseason berth, the Rush aren’t exactly trending in the right direction.
Rushin’ Around
Saskatchewan may be occupying the No. 2 seed for now, but with a pair of matchups against the Mammoth in the near future alongside showcases against the Calgary Roughnecks and Ottawa Black Bears should keep them on the edge of their postseason seats. Especially knowing each of the three contingents are doing all they can to ensure they’re Top 8 teams by mid-April. If the Rush offensive attack is to warm up down the home stretch, it’ll likely continue to be a group effort, with forwards Zach Manns (30g, 29a) and Ryan Keenan (17g, 39a) leading the shared charge thus far. And with a veteran like Robert Church (21g, 29a) back in the lineup following some time missed due to injury, Saskatchewan should be at full force Saturday night. Austin Shanks (48 points: 21g, 27a) is the only other man on the roster above the 40-point mark, which makes guys like Brock Haley (35 points: 14g, 21a), Clark Walter (29 points: 14g, 15a), Mike Triolo (28 points: 14g, 14a) and Jake Boudreau (24 points: 6g, 18a) that much more important.
The Rush’s low-scoring approach may eventually play into Colorado’s favor, as the Mammoth will ultimately have a better chance at winning Saturday night’s contest if they find themselves in a defensive battle instead of a high-flying contest. At the same time, Colorado is now 0-3 when they haven’t met the 10-goal mark, so the Mammoth will be looking to reach double-digits, at least. Saskatchewan’s defense has plenty of speed and physicality baked in, also spreading its talent pretty well between experienced veterans and a few young up-and-comers. For as good of a season as Ward has enjoyed, the Rush’s Frank Scigliano has been standing on his head this season for the green and black group. Bringing a league-leading 9.78 goals-against average into Saturday night’s contests means exactly what the stat suggests – He’s done a grand job teaming up with the Rush defensive core in regularly limiting teams to 10 or fewer or conversions. Having only played in 12 of the team’s 14 games certainly helps keep that figure down, but when he’s been around and available, he’s been on point, very much one of the team’s pillars this time around. Sitting at No. 4 in the league’s save percentage ranks (.793), he’s given his team a chance to win each of the 12 games he’s participated in and will look to do the same during the approaching Week 18 showdown.
Mammoth After Hours
Back for some more Wednesday night fun, Mammoth After Hours (continuing to take place Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. MT on Altitude Sports social media channels), hosted by Mammoth Play-by-Play Caller Andy Lindahl and Color Analyst Jamie Shewchuk, returns this Wednesday as the boys welcome defenseman TJ Comizio and Conner Cook to break down the playoff picture, the team’s recent stretch and all things March to May!
RELATED: Mammoth After Hours Live on Altitude Sports Radio Social Channels Wednesdays at 8 p.m. MT
Get in the Game
Mammoth games can be viewed on Altitude TV and streamed live via ESPN+ and NLL+. Saturday’s March 29 showdown against the Saskatchewan Rush can be viewed locally via Altitude TV and streamed live on ESPN+ and NLL+. Mammoth fans can keep an eye on the team’s social media channels and coloradomammoth.com for the latest news, transactions and organizational updates throughout the 2024-25 NLL season.
Limited Tickets remain for Colorado’s April 5 Rumble at the LOUD HOUSE showcase against the Buffalo Bandits, so be sure to lock yours in and get ready to TUSK UP!
