DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) claimed a 7-5 victory over the Georgia Swarm Saturday night inside Gas South Arena.
Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward stopped 39-of-44 on the night as the Mammoth improved to 3-2 on the year and 2-1 away from Ball Arena.
“More than anything, it’s just getting on the right track. Build a little momentum. We had a big one last weekend, big one tonight and we just have to keep it going,” Ward said in a postgame interview.
“We just need to come out here and execute. We’re not going to be able to rely on one person. Obviously, guys are going to have big nights here and there, but we just need to go out there and do our jobs.”
Jalen Chaster paced Mammoth personnel with three points (0g, 3a) at the conclusion of the defensive-minded showcase. Seven different players appeared on the scoresheet Saturday night, but Will Malcom (1g, 1a) and Jack Hannah (1g, 1a) were the lone men to record two points.
Malcom also earned his 400th career point Saturday night as the left-handed talent continues to impress in burgundy and black, officially rocking the “A” for the first time Saturday.
Following an opening scoreless seven minutes of play, Georgia’s Shayne Jackson got the contest’s scoring start courtesy of a 5-on-4 dunk effort. The Swarm swung the ball around Ward 360 degrees before getting the rock back behind twine and into the hands of the former MVP, who converted past Ward’s right side to get Geogia on the board first.
Mammoth defenseman Ari Stevens retaliated with a transition effort nearly six minutes later, the first of his professional career, as the rookie back-ender accepted a lob pass on an odd-man rush and flung a fiery saucer past Swarm netminder Brett Dobson to even the game at ones with just over two minutes remaining in the opening quarter.
When the opening 15 minutes of play came to an end, the scoreboard read 1-1 as each team’s respective defensive units and goaltenders shined in a low-scoring first quarter.
Colorado’s Jack Hannah only needed 2:36 into the second to earn the Mammoth its first lead of the night. Fielding a transition pass from captain Robert Hope, the DU product fired away and beat Dobson as the Burgundy Boys strung two in a row together to establish some momentum on the road.
But rookie forward Nolan Byrne notched the game at two per side midway through the second. Taking off in airborne fashion from the edge of the crease, the youngster beat Ward to grant the home team its second conversion of the low-scoring affair.
Nearly four minutes later, “Wild Bill” Will Malcom regained a slight advantage for Colorado courtesy of an extra-man tally as the special teams ace recorded his fifth man-up marker of the season.
Two in a row now for the Mammoth after defenseman turned forward turned transition guy Owen Rahn was gifted a ball just outside the sub zone, picked up the rock and slammed one home past Dobson as the talented second-year scored his second of the year en route to earning Colorado a two-goal lead with less than two to play in the first half.
When the low-scoring opening 30 came to a close, Colorado owned a 4-2 lead at Gas South Arena.
With a set of consecutive penalties called against the Mammoth nearly four minutes into the third session, Swarm forward Lyle Thompson converted via a 5-on-3 look as Georgia inched to within one goal.
Re-establishing a two-goal advantage for Colorado, Dylan McIntosh finished a backside feed with his sixth of the year as Colorado was in front 5-3 five minutes into quarter three.
But as the defensive battle raged on, that would serve as the same score when the contest headed to the fourth quarter.
Jackson became the game’s first player to double down as the veteran ran high around a pick and sent an even higher shot on net, which found its way past Ward’s shoulder as the Swarm were back to within one, down 5-4 three and a half minutes into the final 15.
With just over five minutes to play, Jalen Chater drew a double team look which led to a wide open Thomas Vela in the middle, who galivanted his way towards the crease before beating Dobson to grant Colorado another two-goal lead.
But less than a minute later, Jordan MacIntosh came crashing back in a transition effort to bring the Swarm to within one once again as the drama ensued down south.
Netting a goal in a second-straight game, Mammoth defenseman Warren Jeffrey secured an empty-net tally to grant Colorado a late 7-5 lead, which served as the final score of the night.
Will Malcom (1g, 1a), Jack Hannah (1g, 1a), Thomas Vela (1g, 0a), Warren Jeffrey (1g, 1a), Dylan McIntosh (1g, 0a), Owen Rahn (1g, 0a) and Ari Stevens (1g, 0a) each scored on the night.
Lyle Thompson (1g, 1a), Shayne Jackson (2g, 0a), Jordan MacIntosh (1g, 1a) and Nolan Byrne (1g, 1a) highlighted scoring efforts for the Swarm.
The Mammoth now prepare to close out the team’s two-game road trip Friday, Jan. 16 during a showdown against the Halifax Thunderbirds.
Limited tickets remain for the organization’s Jan. 24 showdown against the Oshawa FireWolves.
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels throughout the season for the latest league updates, team transactions and beyond.
