DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth recorded a 19-14 victory against the Halifax Thunderbirds as the team opened its three-game homestand inside Ball Arena Saturday night with a convincing win to improve to 3-1 on the season.
Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward stopped 40-of-53 on a night where he recorded his 6,000th career save and 9000th minute played as Colorado’s netminder, while Mammoth forward Will Malcom paced Colorado contributors with 10 points (7g, 3a) en route to earning his second career sock trick.
After doing most of his work in the second half throughout the team’s first three contests, Malcom got the scoring started with an early strike as he welcomed more than 8500 fans to Beach Night at the LOUD HOUSE!
Thunderbirds scorer Cole Kirst answered two minutes later with a gritty play to get Halifax on the board.
Big man Dawson Theede stepped between a pair of defenseman less than a minute later to grant Halifax their first advantage of the night as the orange and purple squad netted two in a row.
However, Willy Malcom came to play, knotting the score at two with a slick side-armed bid from distance. And when we said came to play … we meant it, as the youthful finisher followed that effort up a mere 63 seconds later by completing his first hat trick of the year just four minutes and 52 seconds into the contest.
Slipping high on a pick and doing the rest with his stick, No. 2 logged his third of the night as the crowd exploded.
Keeping the run going strong, fellow lefty Thomas Vela netted his fourth of the season with a short side strike of his own as the momentum quickly shifted in the direction of the home team.
Now three in a row as the lefties decided it was their game to eat, the Magic Man Connor Robinson started his show early once more, beating Thunderbirds’ netminder Warren Hill with a unique bid to give Colorado its first two-goal lead of the night.
Typically known for his assist counts more years than not, forward Clarke Petterson netted a power-play goal halfway through the opening period after Zed Williams was called for a Holding the Stick penalty to create a close 4-3 game.
Are you kidding us?? Malcom notched his fourth of the night by sprinting into the O-zone and launching another nasty bid at Hill, eventually beating the goaltender and crashing into the Party Zone boards as Ball Arena applauded once more.
If fans were waiting for Malcom’s “Welcome Back” game, they didn’t need to wait any longer, as the promised skillet was on full display for the first time inside the LOUD HOUSE.
He doesn’t command the rock often – But when he does, Moose finishes the play. Exactly the case as the defenseman accepted a pass mid-turf and slammed one home past Hill as he extended the score to 6-3 en route to chasing the veteran from net. Drew Hutchison was up next to man the pipes on a night where all three phases of the game were in Colorado’s control early.
With a pair of Mammoth forwards forced into taking a defensive shift via a quick transition effort, Halifax managed their fourth goal of the night 52 seconds into the second quarter as Wake:Riat Bowhunter recorded his first goal of the season to create a 6-4 game.
As the result of another man-up effort, Halifax made it two in a row as Jason Knox slammed a backside bid home past Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward to bring his squad back within one just under three minutes into quarter two.
Connor Kelly got the good guys back on the board soon after, thankfully, as the right side of the offense got in on the fun. Representing his team-pacing ninth marker of the season, he started another run for the burgundy boys, quickly connecting with Flyin’ Ryan Lee for a diving goal just 40 seconds later. Setting Lee up with a sick alley-oop like pass, Lee accepted the dish and fiercely fired it past Hutchison as he completed the diving play.
Following a rare five scoreless minutes of play, No. 2 wearing burgundy remembered it was his night as he came around a screen topside and sent a sincere shot on goal to net his fifth goal of the opening half. Keeping the crowd on sock watch, Malcom’s silky mitts were on display.
Banging some bodies around and creating space for most of the opening 30, Zed Williams was next up on the scoresheet, as the flashy finisher did what Zed does – embarrass defenders and remind goalies they need more practice. Racking up his ninth conversion of the young season, both Williams and Colorado were looking good in this one.
His second of the night, Kelly finished a fierce overhand bid courtesy of some top ched as he converted another power-play goal for the good guys.
Battling back with his fourth of the season, Mike Robinson made it an 11-6 game with a strike to end the opening half.
After bringing 12 points (4g, 8a) into the contest as he continued to warm up to Mammoth Offensive Coordinator Jason Bishop’s sets, Malcom ended the first half with seven points (5g, 2a) as he nearly outscored Halifax on his own.
Colorado has scored at least 11 goals in each of its four games this season. However, this time around, they met the total within 30 minutes of play.
Lighting the lamp just over six minutes into the third quarter, Theede logged his second goal and sixth point of the night as he continued to be the center of the Thunderbirds offense. The scoreboard read 11-7 with eight and change to play. He followed it up with another less than a minute later to complete his hat trick.
Kelly completed a hat trick of his own with just over two minutes remaining in the third period as he extended his team-leading figures. Since being acquired from the Albany FireWolves last season, all No. 40 has done is score goals.
All Will Malcom was doing Saturday night was scoring goals, too. Logging his sixth of the night, the Ball Arena floor became littered with socks as the kid completed the sock trick feat.
The second six-goal effort of his budding career, he was smiling ear to ear after putting the finishing touches on a rare performance.
Pouring it on the team who travelled several time zones, only to have to play in altitude, Kelly notched his fourth of the night as seemingly everything was going in that was launched from a Colorado player’s twig.
Next up was Williams, who sent a long-range bouncer past Hutchison to create a 15-8 game as the home team nearly doubled down the visiting Thunderbirds. Zed’s conversion marked his 10th of the season.
Thomas Hoggarth picked up a rebound which landed in the crease and threw it past Ward two minutes into the final quarter to bring Halifax back within six.
Of course, six wasn’t enough for Malcom – Calling a heat check, he completed a far side tuck for his seventh of the night as he was just spoiling the home fans at this point.
Halifax defenseman Trevor Smyth brought the Thunderbirds back within six via a transition effort midway through the final frame. Now two straight for Halifax, Hoggarth doubled down with his second of the night.
This was Colorado’s night, though, which “Liger” Eli McLaughlin reminded everyone of, logging his first of the night in tip-toeing backdoor fashion. Meeting the crowd with a cross armed pose, everybody in the building could feel the Mammoth’s momentous win on the way.
Doing his best Will Malcom impression (scoring late in the game, but effectively, nonetheless), McLaughlin quickly doubled down as the Mammoth goal count rose to 18 and the LOUD HOUSE roared once more.
His second of the night, Bowhunter got the Birds to the 12 spot – but McLaughlin completed his fourth quarter hat trick in stunning fashion (taking just 2 minutes and twenty seconds to complete the feat).
Knox recorded his second of the night in a game that was goal-heavy from the start as the scoreboard read 19-13 in favor of the home team. He completed his hat trick just six seconds later as Halifax climbed back within five once more.
That would count as the final goal of the game, with Colorado claiming a MAMMOTH 19-14 win to advance to 3-1 on the season.
Will Malcom led Mammoth scorers with a whopping 10 points (7g, 3a), while Connor Robinson (1g, 7a), Connor Kelly (4g, 3a), Eli McLaughlin (3g, 2a), Ryan Lee (1g, 4a) and Zed Williams rounded out primary scoring efforts. Defenseman Warren Jeffrey added a goal in transition, his first of the season, as the home team kicked off its three game series inside Ball Arena with a big win.
The Mammoth will continue to embrace the team’s longest homestand of the season, with a pair of matchups looming inside the LOUD HOUSE. The first of which will take place Sunday, Dec. 29 at 2 p.m. as the organization celebrates Native American Heritage Night, honoring the Creator’s Game and indigenous communities surrounding the sport we love.
Limited Tickets remain for Colorado’s Dec. 29 Native American Heritage Night showdown against Mammoth legend Joey Cupido and the Georgia Swarm, so be sure to lock yours in and get ready to TUSK UP!
