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NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth Heads East for First Time this Season

March 14, 2014 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - One week after a thrilling, and much-needed, overtime victory over the Calgary Roughnecks on "˜Lacrosse Out Cancer' Night, the Colorado Mammoth will play an East Division opponent (Buffalo Bandits) on the road for the first time this season. Saturday's game, which starts at 5:30pm MT, is the Mammoth's 100th road game (regular and postseason combined) in franchise history.

The division-leading Bandits acknowledge that, despite the difference in records between the teams, the Mammoth is a force to be reckoned with.

"Colorado has tremendous talent, especially on offense," said Bandits general manager Steve Dietrich. "I don't know if there's a team in the league that can put out six lethal weapons like they can. With [coaches] Dan [Stroup] and Pat [Coyle] and Chris [Gill], three guys that have been great Colorado Mammoth players in the past, you know that they're going to play with passion and they're going to make the guys play for the pride in the jersey just like they did."

Last week, Colorado held Calgary without a goal for nearly 39 minutes. The game was the Mammoth's first in franchise history in which it held its opponent without a power-play opportunity.

Colorado's new coaching staff is well aware of the potential and talent its team possesses.

"It wasn't like we are reinventing the wheel, that's our biggest thing we're saying," said Gill. "We're not trying to change things all over the place. We're just trying to tweak things here and there and all the players are buying in and did a great job last week. We're trying to move forward this week in Buffalo."

The Mammoth, winners of four of the last six, will face a Bandits team that has won five straight at home. First Niagara Center offers an environment similar to what the Mammoth is familiar with on HealthONE Field at Pepsi Center, its home turf.

"[First Niagara Center] is probably one of the loudest rinks around," said Gill. "When I was playing, it was one of my favorite rinks to play in. I love it when crowds are going nuts!"

The game will be the second and final meeting of the regular season between the two teams. Colorado looks to avenge its 16-9 home loss to Buffalo in January.

The game will air live at 5:30pm MT on The Lacrosse Network on YouTube and will be shown on tape-delay on Altitude Sports on Sun., March 16 at 10:00pm MT.

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