COLORADO MAMMOTH (2-1) VS. HALIFAX THUNDERBIRDS (0-2)
SAT. DEC. 21 | 7 P.M. MT | BALL ARENA
ALTITUDE TV | ESPN+ | NLL+
Having previously entered the Week 3 slate atop the league standings as the NLL’s only 2-0 team, Colorado finds itself in the No. 6 spot ahead of its Week 4 duel with the Halifax Thunderbirds after dropping a 14-11 road decision to the San Diego Seals.
Initially staying the course with San Diego, it was Colorado who held a 3-2 lead midway through the opening quarter before the burgundy squad spotted the Seals a five-goal run as the first half continued. Down 9-4 at the break, the Mammoth went goal-for-goal with San Diego in the third as the scoreboard added three goals per side. It was the team’s resilient fourth quarter which may serve as one of the biggest takeaways, however, as Colorado battled back to create a two-goal game late in the contest at 13-11. Unable to complete the comeback, the Mammoth saw Seals’ defenseman Eli Gobrecht put the finishing touches on the 14-11 final via an empty net goal.
RELATED: Mammoth Drop First Decision of the Season to San Diego Seals
Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward stopped 37-of-49 on the night as the team fell to 2-1 on the season. Forward Connor Robinson’s six-point (3g, 3a) performance paced Colorado contributors while Eli McLaughlin (1g, 3a), Ryan Lee (1g, 3a), Zed Williams (2g, 2a), Connor Kelly (2g, 2a) and Will Malcom (2g, 2a) each managed four-point evenings on a night where Colorado spread the ball around the O zone. On a night where there weren’t many transition tallies, veterans Tim Edwards (0g, 1a) and Damon Edwards (0g, 1a) were the lone defensive personnel with points in this one, an uncharacteristic feat after seeing the D guys stay quite involved throughout the Mammoth’s first two games.
Offensive firepower and Colorado’s ability to consistently fill nets may have been an area for improvement in season’s past as the team stay trued to its stalwart defensive-heavy approach. But that, thankfully, doesn’t appear to be the case this time around, as the burgundy boys have logged at least 11 goals in each of the squad’s first three games. For an additional snapshot of context, it took the Mammoth seven games during the 2023-24 campaign to rack up three 11-goal games, so the forwards have indeed been off to a spicy start this time around.
Speaking of consistency, right-handed finisher Connor Kelly has notched at least four points in each of Colorado’s first three contests, including seven, seven and four-point performances so far this season. Trailing only Buffalo Bandits’ forward Dhane Smith in overall scoring, Kelly’s 18 points (8g, 10a) continue to rank No. 2 overall amongst the league’s talents ahead of the Mammoth’s Week 4 Beach Night at the LOUD HOUSE matchup. Both Kelly and Zed Williams, who’s up to 14 points (8g, 6a) on the year, remain tied for the fourth-most markers in the lead with six each. Ryan Lee, fresh off his second-straight four-plus-point game, rounds out the right side’s top producers with 13 points (5g, 8a) through three game as he continues to look more and more like the Flyin’ Ryan Lee of the good ole days.
When it comes to Colorado’s lefties, Eli McLaughlin’s 14 points (4g, 10a) lead the charge, while Will Malcom has quietly put together a 12-point (4g, 8a) start to the season with his new team. Playing in one less game, having missed the team’s Home Opener, Connor Robinson is already up to 11 points (4g, 7a) in just two games played after serving as the team’s leading scorer last weekend in San Diego. The Magic Man looks good and continues to ramp up productivity as the opening stretch continues to unravel itself.
Once again setting the tone on the back end, Mammoth captain Robert Hope continues to appear atop several of the team’s defensive statistical categories including loose balls (35), caused turnovers (6) and blocked shots (6). Having recorded 13 loose balls in each of the team’s last two contests, Hope is now tied for the second-most scoops across the NLL through three weeks. Also remaining ranked in the Top 5 for both caused turnovers (T4th) and blocked shots (T2nd), it’s clear No. 18 has plenty left in the tank to give both on the floor and as the unit’s outspoken verbal leader.
Alas, Colorado now sits below the league’s four 2-0 teams in the Buffalo Bandits, Georgia Swarm, Calgary Roughnecks and Saskatchewan Rush, alongside the 2-1 San Diego Seals, whom they just dropped a game against. Mammoth fans will want to keep an eye on San Diego for the duration of the campaign now, as the yellow and purple squad owns the head-to-head tiebreaker between the contingents. That said, both teams have plenty of work to do during their remaining 15 games, as they remain the only two teams rocking 2-1 records heading into Week 4.
Historically speaking, these teams have only met twice, with Halifax earning wins in both of the first two matchups. Most recently, Colorado ended its regular season on the road against Halifax, dropping a 14-10 final after falling 12-9 back in 2020 when the squads first faced off. If the Mammoth are looking to begin their longest homestand of the season in spicy fashion, which features three straight games inside Ball Arena, they’d be wise to take care of business against a winless opponent before 10,000 or so of the state’s rowdy fans.
As for the Halifax Thunderbirds, who bring an 0-2 record into the LOUD HOUSE Saturday night, they’d agree it’s too early to be worried about playoff seeding. At the same time, they’d agree this is a must-win for a squad which has typically found itself off to hot starts in years past, not to mention within several of the league’s most recent postseason formulas. Suffering a dramatic loss last weekend, a 9-8 overtime decision to the Saskatchewan Rush, it looked like the Thunderbirds had figured some things out on both sides of the floor since dropping an equally close 18-17 final the weekend before to the Calgary Roughnecks. But both of the contests ended with an addition to the wrong side of the record column, something the birds will look to avoid as they travel several time zones west for an NLL Saturday Night Showcase.
Randy Staats (2g, 11a) and Clarke Petterson (2g, 11a) remain tied with a team-high 13 points as the veterans continue to lead the charge as Halifax’s main distributors. They’re of course both very capable of finding twine on their own, but have spent more time on the turf focusing on dishing the rock to their teammates. Just one point behind at 12 points (8g, 4a) on the season, one of the team’s big-bodied O-zone presences in Dawson Theede currently leads the team with eight goals during his fourth season wearing purple and orange. Traded to the Canadian-based squad from Panther City Lacrosse Club during the league’s 2021-22 season, he’s been a menace for Halifax, playing a similar game as former Mammoth forward Tyler Digby has put on tape as a mean, lean scoring machine. Coming off a squad-best six-point (4g, 2a) performance during the team’s dramatic 9-8 overtime loss to the Saskatchewan Rush, he’s now got four goals in each of his first two games, likely earning him a spot atop Colorado’s scouting charts in Week 4.
Just three other members of the team have managed to record five points on the year through the team’s first two games, with forwards Thomas Hoggarth (5g, 3a), Jason Knox (3g, 3a) and Mike Robinson (3g, 2a) rounding out primary scoring efforts for Halifax thus far. Veteran transition professional Ryan Terefenko has also added two goals on his three points (2g, 1a) this season as he continues to stay involved in odd-man rushes and anytime the team is looking to push the pace. With the team announcing Cody Jamieson would be stepping away in Week 2, the team still has plenty of leadership sprinkled throughout its roster. More of them are on the defensive end, however, with the likes of Graeme Hossack, Tyson Bell, Mitch Wilde and company ready to give their all as the Thunderbirds look to secure their first victory of the season. Faceoff wizard Jake Withers is also back in action after missing the squad’s season-opener, but only managed a 9-for-21 effort at the dot during his debut last weekend.
When it comes to netminding projections, veteran goaltender Warren Hill will likely get the nod for Halifax once again as one of the league’s most trusted and long-tenured talents. Bringing a 12.35 goals-against average into his third session of the season, he limited a rowdy Rush team to just nine goals last weekend after initially allowing a saucy 17 strikes back in Week 2. Showing up looking like a new man last weekend, Hill stopped 41-for-50 as he improved his save percentage to .757 on the year. Drew Hutchison represents the team’s backup netminder, likely to serve as the No. 2 behind Hill Saturday night inside the LOUD HOUSE.
Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward and Hill may have been on the same Six Nations Chiefs roster over the summer as they battled for Canada’s top honors. But that won’t be the case this weekend at Ball Arena as two of the league’s most reliable tenders square off during the NLL’s Saturday Showcase!
Get in the Game
Mammoth games can be viewed on Altitude TV and streamed live via ESPN+ and NLL+. Saturday’s Dec. 21 showdown against the Halifax Thunderbirds can be viewed on 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 for Colorado’s Beach Night at the LOUD HOUSE matchup against the Halifax Thunderbirds Dec. 21 at Ball Arena remain available.
