DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth dropped a tight 13-12 final to the Georgia Swarm Sunday afternoon as the organization celebrated Native American Heritage Night alongside 9,415 of its most dedicated supporters.
Representing the team’s first loss at home this season, the back and forth battle featured tons of ties and quality netminding, including a quality performance from Mammoth netminder Dillon Ward, who stopped 41-of-54 on the day.
Connor Kelly (3g, 2a) and Will Malcom (2g, 3a) paced Mammoth scorers on the night where Colorado saw six different goal-scorers.
Staying on the floor and quietly making his way up the turf following the game’s opening defensive shift, former Mammoth great Joey Cupido finished a transition effort to give the Swarm an early lead just 40 seconds into the game.
You can’t script storybook endings in this league – but you sure can appreciate a veteran reminding his old barn that he’s still got it.
Getting the good guys on the board just over four minutes later, Mammoth forward Connor Robinson lit the lamp with a power-play tally. Enjoying some allotted space from afar, the Magic Man unleashed his opening act from distance en route to tying the game at one per side.
Which meant the left side would be buzzing in this one, as fellow lefty Will Malcom made it two in a row courtesy of a quick strike. Beating Swarm goaltender Brett Dobson low, Malcom logged his 12th goal in stunning fashion while getting the home team its first lead of the afternoon.
Now three straight for the burgundy boys, Mammoth forward Connor Kelly went airborne before slamming home a nasty shot past Dobson to grant Colorado its first two-goal advantage of the night. Two in a row for No. 40, Kelly doubled down as he forced the LOUD HOUSE crowd to explode once more, now up 4-1 over the Swarm as the first period came to an end.
Getting the scoring started for both of the opening two quarters, Swarm forward Shayne Jackson finished a backdoor slam as Georgia worked the ball around Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward before eventually finding twine to create a 4-2 game.
Making it two in a row, also in man-up nature, was forward Seth Oakes, who netted an overhand bid to restore the game to 5-on-5, albeit while pulling the Swarm back within one.
Number two on the night for No. 2, Malcom finished a power-play set of Colorado’s own after accepting a slick dish from teammate Ryan Lee and firing a low-angled saucer on net. Flying right on by Dobson, Malcom’s shot connected as he restored a two-goal lead for the Mammoth midway through the second quarter.
Answering back just over a minute later, All-World talent Lyle Thompson finished a tic-tac-toe effort directly outside Ward’s crease to climb the Swarm back within one with nearly six minutes remaining in the first half.
Tying the game at an even five per unit, Brendan Bomberry netted his first of the night with a nasty step-down shot as the contest was knotted once more.
Representing his second long-range laser of the half, Connor Robinson’s second act arrived as No. 96 couldn’t have completed a smoother shot. Beating Dobson once again, C-ROB netted his seventh goal of the season while making the Ball Arena crowd go crazy!
Creating an even slate with just under two minutes to play, Lyle Thompson logged his second of the night as the yellow and blue group remained resilient.
Collecting an errant Malcom shot as a rebound off the backboards, Flyin’ Ryan Lee timed himself perfectly to accept the accidental pass and slam one past Dobson in horizontal fashion as No. 16 earned his first tally of the contest.
Georgia wasn’t allowing the opening half to end as anything other than a tie, however, as Bomberry finished an athletic play to beat Ward on the backside, thus creating a 7-7 score to end the opening 30.
Now on the board in each of the competition’s first three quarters, Georgia’s Bryan Cole established the Swarm’s first lead of the contest since less than a minute into the opening period just 49 seconds into quarter three.
Working his way inside through the scrum of bodies, rookie defenseman Owen Rahn scored the first goal of his young NLL career in epic form as he evened the contest at 8-8 with just over two minutes remaining in the low-scoring third. Staying on the turf following a defensive shift, No. 7 couldn’t have picked a better time to get in on the action, reigniting some life into Ball Arena.
And wouldn’t you know it … the kid scored two in a row via a unique transition effort moments later. Beating Dobson up high, he accepted a dish from a mid-turf pile and quickly went twine-side, granting the Mammoth a one-goal lead once more with 20 seconds to play in the third.
Finishing his hat trick in dominating fashion, Robinson stepped onto the floor and received the rock nearly instantly. Galloping his way the final steps of the floor, he fired a fierce overhand bid on net, which trickled its way past Dobson and into the net for his third of the night and eighth of the season.
Colorado was up 10-8 with 12 or so to play. And the LOUD HOUSE was LOUD.
But the Swarm mustered up a retaliation effort moments later, as Cole briefly levitated before slamming a shot over a diving Ward’s shoulder to bring Georgia back within one.
And as the Swarm gained momentum, Cole netted his third of the night to complete a hat trick for the away contingent, thus tying the game at 10s with just over 10 to play.
Back on top with eight remaining in the game, Colorado’s Thomas Vela notched his fourth of the campaign. Working with Ryan Lee and Will Malcom, he finished the quality look by causing nearly 10,000 fans to jump to their feet as the good guys were ahead, 11-10.
But after a penalty was called on the Mammoth, the Swarm were able to battle back once more, scoring on the extra-man attack. Scoring via a nasty bouncer, Andrew Kew joined the scoreboard as both teams were spreading the workload around.
Completing the team’s second hat trick on the night, Connor Kelly navigated his way around the set before peeling crease side and beating two defenders, plus Dobson, to get Colorado back in front.
A turf-length effort from Liam Byrnes tied the game at 12 per side a moment later as the squads ebbed and flowed in dramatic form.
Collecting a rebound effort blasting another shot at Ward with 43 seconds remaining, Kew notched his second of the night as Georgia solidified its 13-12 victory.
Connor Kelly (3g, 2a) and Will Malcom (2g, 3a) paced Mammoth scorers with five points each, while Connor Robinson a hat trick amongst his four points (3g, 1a). Eli McLaughlin (0g, 3a), Ryan Lee (1g, 2a) and Thomas Vela (1g, 1a) joined rookie defenseman Owen Rahn, who scored a career-high two points, the first two goals of his career, in rounding out Colorado’s goal-scorers.
Colorado will now prepare to close out its three-game homestand inside Ball Arena following a Week 6 bye session.
Limited Tickets remain for Colorado’s Jan. 11 Country Night at the LOUD HOUSE showdown against the Albany FireWolves, so be sure to lock yours in and get ready to TUSK UP!
