DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth dropped a 14-10 final to the Halifax Thunderbirds Saturday evening as the team concluded its 2023-24 campaign out east.
Receiving a turf-length pass from Mammoth goaltender Tyler Carlson, Zed Williams finished off a 2-on-0 chance to get the food guys on the board.
But after the ensuing faceoff, Halifax Ryan Terefenko retaliated with a score-evening effort as the home team tied it up at 1-1 just nine seconds later. Finishing a crease-crashing effort, the Thunderbirds doubled down as Aaron Woods made it 2-1 with just under nine to play in the first quarter.
Evening the score at twos, Connor Kelly spun around his defender while rolling toward the center of the floor before pulling up and sending a wicked shot on net. Continuing to extend his now career-best marker total, he stayed hot as the season came to a close.
Rookie defenseman Sean Kriwokon felt the momentum shift and decided to get in on the fun. Picking up his second of the year in transition fashion, he beat Halifax netminder Warren Hill to regain Colorado’s lead.
Back and forth they went, as veteran Cody Jamieson followed the effort up just 38 seconds later, now 3-3. Two in a row for Halifax, Jake Withers won a faceoff and took it the rest of the way, eventually beating Carlson to give the purple squad a lead.
Getting physical quickly, the gloves came off as Warren Jeffrey and David Brock went 1-on-1 to earn some 5-minute penalties following a hit that Halifax didn’t think was warranted.
Converting shortly into their man-up opportunity, the Thunderbirds scored, courtesy of a back door finish from Dawson Theede, now 5-3.
And after the next faceoff, tempers flared once again, as the season-ending showcase started to get personal between the otherwise distant squads. Colorado was awarded a 5-on-4 opportunity after Withers was charged for a boarding penalty.
Cashing in, Eli McLaughlin and Tyson Gibson passed the rock back and forth before Liger chose his corner and fired, bringing the Mammoth back within one in the final minute of first-quarter play.
Getting the second frame scoring started, Jamieson accepted a behind-the-back feed from Austin Shanks before beating Carlson to regain his team’s two-goal advantage 46 seconds in. Winning on the backside once again, it was Shanks who made it two in a row for Halifax.
Now three-straight for the bad guys, Johny Pearson finished a transition effort to establish an 8-4 lead. Now 9-4, Clarke Peterson slammed a dunking bid home as the Thunderbirds started to run away with it early. Which, despite the score coming with 11 minutes to play, remained the final score of the opening 30.
Former first-round selection Owen Down picked up the first NLL conversion of his conversion in transition fashion as the organization continued to let its youngsters get some playing time late in the season.
Launching a step-down saucer, Williams made it two straight just 40 seconds later while recapturing some momentum as Liger recorded a career-high 90th point on the year.
But Randy Staats got the home team back on the board for their tenth goal of the night, now 10-6. Six minutes later, Staats got another to end the contest’s scoreless session.
Answering back shortly after, burgundy’s No. 51 made it look easy by asserting himself, dangling through some company and finishing with a twister to bring his team back within four once again.
Representing the first conversion of the final 15, CP24 finished a quick stick effort to get his team a five-goal lead 35 seconds in.
Back within four again, McLaughlin executed the two-man game to perfection, fake picking and peeling inside before accepting a dish and beating Hill to finish his hat trick. Completing a hat trick of his own less than a minute later, Williams beat Hill on a weird bounce, but nonetheless successful as the away team was within three goals late.
Three-straight for Colorado, it was Kelly who sent a bouncing twister on the net, quickly finding twine for his second on the night and 39th of the year.
Eventually bringing the run to an end, Theede doubled down by backing his man down, turning around and launching a dialed-in bid en route to restoring his team’s three-game advantage with less than five to play. Completing a second-half hat trick, Staats beat Carlson to make it a 14-10 game with three remaining on the clock.
Capping off his career-best season, Mammoth forward Eli McLaughlin paced Colorado contributors with five points (3g, 2a), while goaltender Tyler Carlson (0g, 3a) and Zed Williams (3g, 0a) rounded out parties scoring more than two in the season-ending showdown. Connor Kelly (2g, 0a) and rookie defensemen Sean Kriwokon (1g, 0a) and Owen Down (1g, 0a) rounded out goal-scorers in the battle.
While it wasn’t the season the boys wanted, they, and the entire Mammoth organization send the sincerest of THANK YOUS to the LOUDEST fans in lacrosse. With the team set to return to the LOUD HOUSE in seven short months, get your tickets locked in for the 2024-25 NLL Season and enjoy your summer!! #TuskUp
