The Colorado Mammoth captured a 10-7 victory over the New York Riptide Monday night at Ball Arena behind a four-goal effort from Eli McLaughlin (4g, 1a). The win serves as the fifth Monday Night Lacrosse game to be executed and the first in which the home team was victorious.
New York Riptide rookie forward Larson Sundown provided the first goal of the night, nearly 11 minutes into the first quarter Monday night at Ball Arena.
Following up on his hat-trick effort from just 48 hours prior, Mammoth forward Chris Wardle evened the score with his first of the night less than two minutes later, his 15th of the season.
Ryan Lee established Colorado’s first lead of the night at the 13:19 mark after sprinting off the bench and receiving a long outlet pass before assuming his Flyin’ Ryan form while diving across the crease while converting past Riptide netminder Steven Orleman.
Mammoth forward Connor Robinson’s charisma with good friend Eli McLaughlin was on display early in the second, as the B.C. boys hooked up for the quarter’s first tally at the 1:43 mark. McLaughlin operated from the point as the unit established space for Robinson before dishing to his teammate, who curled around his defender before getting crease-side and logging his 36th of the season. Two minutes after seeing his roommate succeed, the forward fielded a lob pass from teammate Dylan Kinnear before posting a crease-diver of his own past Orleman to create a 4-1 ballgame.
Riptide defenseman Dan MacRae brought his club with two with six minutes in the opening half by finishing a three-on-two transition look past Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward’s right side.
Connor Kearnan was awarded his first goal of the evening as the forward patiently waited outside the crease and collected the rebound from a fierce Tyler Digby shot before collecting the ball and finding twine on the weak side.
Robinson quickly brainstormed an answer on Colorado’s next possession as teammate Ryan Lee set him up for a great chance, to which Robinson finished and sent the Mammoth to halftime with a 5-3 advantage.
McLaughlin got back to work early in the second, as the forward extended Colorado’s lead to three 48 seconds into the second half. Four minutes later, Riptide defenseman Scott Dominey scored a breakaway transition goal at the 4:23 mark.
As the result of a cross-checking penalty called on Mammoth defenseman Jalen Chaster, New York was able to convert via a Dan Lomas-diving effort from behind the net to bring the Riptide within one. Continuing to spread the offensive workload around, Riptide forward Jake Fox was able to secure the team’s third-consecutive conversion after beating his defenseman outside then rolling back to the crease before faking and coming back short-side to beat Ward and tie the game at sixes.
With just under five minutes to play in the third, Tyson Gibson shook his defender to create space on the right side before connecting with a cutting Eli McLauglin, who accepted the pass and quickly fired a low bid on net, which found its way past Orleman to restore Colorado’s lead.
NLL Rookie of the Year frontrunner Jeff Teat heard his named called on the ensuing possession, as the forward did all of the work on the left side, maunvering around a series of picks before resurfacing at the point and launching a quick strike to re-tie the game.
After a scoreless 11 minutes of play, defenseman Warren Jeffrey was able to corral a long rebound near half after exiting the penalty box and taking it the duration of the turf before slamming one home past Orleman to record his second of the year and give Colorado another one-goal lead halfway through the final period.
McLaughlin recorded his fourth of the night by dancing around the crease after fielding a pass from Lee to give Colorado a two-goal lead with less than three minutes remaining.
With 40 seconds to play and after extinguishing New York’s late six-on-five attempt, Ward sent a high-flying clear down the turf, which was quickly scooped up by Jordan Gilles and introduced to empty-net twine as the defenseman solidified a 10-7 final at Ball Arena.
Through 14 contest contests, forward Ryan Lee continues to pace Colorado players with 98 points and 68 assists while teammate Connor Robinson paces the team with 37 goals. Mammoth captain Robert Hope’s 21 caused turnovers and 108 loose balls both qualify as team-best totals.
Tickets to Colorado’s April 9 Fan Appreciation Night matchup against the San Diego Seals, and all Mammoth home games, can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com. Mammoth road games can be streamed live via ESPN+.
