COLORADO MAMMOTH (6-5) VS. CALGARY ROUGHNECKS (6-5)
SAT. MARCH 1 | 7 P.M. MT | BALL ARENA
ALT TV | ESPN+ | NLL+
After dropping a 14-7 contest to the Las Vegas Desert Dogs last weekend, the Colorado Mammoth enter the NLL’s Week 14 slate just one game above the .500 mark as the team looks to make a return to the postseason after missing the playoffs for the first time in a decade. A close contest early, Las Vegas quickly turned things upside down on Marvel Super Hero Night, very much becoming the bad guys you read about in the comic world!
Eventually piecing together seven-consecutive goals throughout the second and third quarters, the Desert Dogs showed up and showed out in a game where not many folks had the visiting group surpassing the 10-goal mark. Quite the opposite outcome, however, as Las Vegas tied its season-high goal total of 14 while frustrating Mammoth personnel throughout the building. Of course, losing forward Zed Williams early in the first quarter didn’t help on-field production or sentiment. Seeing the right-handed talent placed on the Injured Reserve List this week suggests he’ll need some time in order to return. Whether that’s this season or not remains to be seen.
A quiet night in the O-zone for Colorado, Will Malcom managed six points (2g, 4a) as the only Mammoth contributor to surpass the four-point mark, while Colorado goaltender Dillon Ward stopped 33-of-44 in the loss. Despite the unideal performance, Ward moved up to the No. 8 spot when it comes to all-time goaltender minutes as his legendary career continued.
RELATED: Desert Dogs Play Spoiler on Marvel Super Hero Night as Colorado Drops 14-7 Contest
The only team to drop contests to each of the league’s bottom three-ranked teams in Las Vegas, the Albany FireWolves and Toronto Rock, Colorado seems to be playing up and down to competition lately, rather similar to seasons past. In fact, no team has dropped more than one game total to the three mentioned squads, so it’s not a great look that Colorado hasn’t been able to take care of business in matchups they’ve been rather favored. And when you consider two of those three outcomes were produced at home, Colorado is now just 3-3 inside the LOUD HOUSE, a place that used to ensure a solid six or seven home wins per season.
The organization’s best wins on paper are currently victories over the No. 3-ranked Halifax Thunderbirds (who allowed Colorado to drop 19 on them, albeit when they were going through a rough stretch to start the season) and the No. 4 Georgia Swarm, who initially defeated Colorado earlier in the campaign but allowed the Mammoth to gain an advantage on the road during the final minute of play last month.
The squad’s odds of securing a playoff spot ultimately come down to how the team performs during the March to May, and who they potentially draw in a postseason showdown. Preparing to host the Calgary Roughnecks this weekend, the team will then endure a late-season bye week before heading east for three-straight road games. Knowing each of the team’s remaining seven opponents are all currently ranked within the league’s Top 8, essentially meaning they’re worthy of a playoff spot should the season end today, means Colorado will have its work cut out if they hope to reach or surpass the 10-win mark. Two of those matchups involve the (9-2) Saskatchewan Rush. Two of those games involve this weekend’s opponents in the Calgary Roughnecks. So, if the team wants to have a potential leg-up on any of these competitive teams in regards to a potential tie-breaking scenario, they’d be wise to pick up some wins here over the late-season stretch. Beginning Saturday night as the team welcomes Calgary to the LOUD HOUSE on Grateful Dead Night.
And boy, oh boy, there are a lot of similarities between the two squads outside their matching 6-5 records. Both lost to the Toronto Rock this season. Both are coming off losses to bottom 7-ranked teams. Each team is struggling a bit at home compared to their typical hometown prowess. And now that the team traded to acquire goaltender Nick Rose from the Rock this week, they both have netminders produced from identical Eastern Canadian goalie factories. Quite the table we have set here, with Colorado occupying the No. 5 rank and Calgary sitting in the No. 6 spot. While the Roughnecks have struggled a bit at home, they bring a stellar 4-1 record to Ball Arena as they look to bounce back from a bit of an unexpected result of their own, most recently dropping a 15-10 decision to the (5-7) Rochester Knighthawks last weekend.
One of four teams the Mammoth will duke it out with twice this season, Colorado will travel to Calgary to close out the regular season slate on April 19. So, this could literally be one of, if not THE, most important games and series of the regular season slate.
It’s been a bit hot and cold for Calgary, similar to Colorado, as the team had just logged a 21-goal performance against the Desert Dogs the weekend prior, only to show up and produce 10 against the Knighthawks in Week 14. Having scored 10+ in each of their last five games (including 10, 21, 13, 15 and 11-goal outings), Calgary has consistently managed double-digit scoring totals lately. And other than a nine-goal performance against the Rock, a game they lost, the team has had at least 10 goals in each of their other 10 contests, suggesting they’ll once again reach the march Saturday night. The problem for Colorado lies in their own hot and cold offense, which has been held to eight or fewer goals in two of the squad’s past three.
Connor Kelly, Ryan Lee and company cooling off a bit lately, the team’s highest-scoring options have fallen down the league-leading ranks a bit, with Lee (15g, 40a) and Will Malcom’s (24g, 31a) 55 points keeping them tied for the No. 16 rank in overall scoring. Kelly, just one spot back with 54 points (27g, 27a) remains alone, now ranked No. 18 in scoring among NLL producers. His 27 goals are also good enough for a fourth-place tie with several other talents, so expect the American product to continue excelling on the right side. At the same time, guys like Owen Rahn and company may be forced into the O-zone with Zed Williams getting banged up last weekend. Tyson Gibson should get a look as well, which is pretty much the most talented of a forward a team can have lurking in their No. 4 righty spot.
Remaining tied with forward Connor Fields of the Rochester Knighthawks, Robert Hope’s 111 loose balls remain an elite mark, while his 15 blocked shots remain good enough for seventh-most. But outside Ward ranking No. 1 this season in minutes played (658:47), No. 2 in total saves (456) and No. 2 in save percentage (.792), a majority of the team’s Top 15 producers have dried up over the team’s recent 2-3 stretch.
There isn’t a magical formula Colorado can tap this weekend. Other than scoring more goals than the other guys, they need to draw a few less penalties, as Calgary enters Saturday’s showdown with the second-hottest power-play unit in the league, now successful in 31-of-55 (56%) opportunities. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the Mammoth haven’t been able to convert on their own man-up looks, now a league-worst 18-for-18 (38%). When it comes to killing said extra-man efforts, Calgary ranks No. 5 on the PK, whereas Colorado sits in the No. 12 spot. Special teams could very well play a big factor in this one, thus the idea the Mammoth will want to stay out of the penalty box.
With Shakedown Street set to spread good vibes throughout the LOUD HOUSE via some Party Zone-hosted sets, all will be right with the world once Saturday night dawns. With custom Mammoth x Grateful Dead jerseys set to once again decorate Ball Arena, this is easily the grooviest night of Colorado’s nine-game home schedule, so this won’t be one you want to miss!
Neighbors to the North
The man they call “Superman,” Roughnecks’ forward Curtis Dickson has very much been living up to his prized nickname once again this season as he continue to sting corners and finish diving efforts as he remains in lock step with his fellow scorers. Bringing a team-high 72 points (31g, 41a) into Saturday’s contest, he’s ranked No. 6 in overall scoring as the ageless wonder continues to get the job done. Coming off a squad-best nine-point (4g, 5a) performance against Rochester, there’s simply no denying the man who is partially responsible for Calgary’s noted postseason dominance of Colorado from years past. He and his best friend Dane Dobbie, that is, who’s amassed a healthy 50 points (30g, 20a) as the team’s third-best scorer to date. Dobbie doesn’t have quite the same pep in his step as he did, but his stick and brain still work just the same, allowing him to operate as one of the league’s deadliest shooters despite his age. These two will 100% be atop Colorado’s scouting report. At the same time, if the Mammoth are able to force Calgary to work through these two alone and take away secondary scoring efforts, there’s a chance Ward will be able to stand tall against two of his most noted foes. Yet, Dickson and Dobbie remain ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, amongst NLL goal-scorers with 31 and 30 markers to their names, so perhaps they shouldn’t be allowed too many quality looks.
Jesse King, up to 67 points (19g, 48a) on the season, has served as a bit more of an assist-man this season but is very capable of taking the rock to the net. Tyler Pace (45 points: 13g, 32a) and Tanner Cook (41 points: 14g, 27a) join the trio of veterans as the team’s five producers above the 40-point mark through the team’s first 11 contests. The drop-off is rather severe from there, as Haiden Dickson’s 18 points (12g, 6a) are next-best, meaning it’ll very much be up to the Roughnecks’ Top 5 to get the job done if they want to stay above the .500 mark.
Calgary’s defensive personnel isn’t an All-World unit by any means, which added some puzzling commentary as to why the team would give up its 2025 pick to Toronto for a likely seven-game rental in acquiring Rose’s talents. But the man they have in net is indeed the real deal. Limiting Colorado to just eight goals a few weekends back while goaltending for the Toronto Rock, Rose’s 10.81 goals-against average and .782 save percentage speak for themselves, both very close to Ward’s mark through 11 games.
Mammoth After Hours
Back for some more Wednesday night fun, Mammoth After Hours (continuing to take place Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. MT on Altitude Sports social media channels), hosted by Mammoth Play-by-Play Caller Andy Lindahl and Color Analyst Jamie Shewchuk, welcomes defenseman Brett Craig and in-game entertainment specialist JoJo War Drummer for another night of off-the-turf action!
Get in the Game
Mammoth games can be viewed on Altitude TV and streamed live via ESPN+ and NLL+. Saturday’s March 1 showdown against the Calgary Roughnecks can be viewed locally via 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 remain for the Mammoth’s March 1 Grateful Dead Night showcase against the Calgary Roughnecks, so be sure to lock yours in and get ready to TUSK UP!
