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NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth Holds Off Swarm For Sixth Victory Of Season

March 22, 2009 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - In a game of incredible runs by both teams, the Colorado Mammoth scored two goals in the fourth quarter to break a late-game tie and hold off the Minnesota Swarm 13-11 Sunday night at Pepsi Center. The win improves the Mammoth record to 6-5 on the season, while Minnesota slips to 5-6.

Showing the apparent affects of their late night travel back to Denver from Calgary on Saturday night, the Mammoth fell behind the Swarm early in the game. The early (6pm) Sunday night start time also seemed to favor the visitors from Minnesota and the Central time zone as they raced out to a 4-0 lead behind two Sean Pollack goals in the first 10 minutes of action. That brought backup goaltender Curtis Palidwor off the Mammoth bench and into action, replacing starter Andrew Leyshon.

Jamie Shewchuk netted the first goal for Colorado with less than five minutes remaining in the first quarter, and it seemed to awaken the home team. Tyler Crompton followed with a score of his own with five seconds remaining in the quarter to cut the Swarm lead in half at 4-2 at the end of one.

Kevin Ross scored just 14-seconds into the second quarter for the Swarm to push their lead back to three at 5-2, but from then on, the Mammoth owned the period. Colorado ripped off four consecutive goals, starting when Chris Gill (#25) drew rope just two minutes into the quarter. Shewchuk followed up with his second score of the half, and 12th of the season at the 6:17 mark. Brian Langtry has been on a tear of late, and he contributed in a big way when his first point of the night, just 30-seconds later, tied the game at 5-5 with less than six minutes remaining in the half. Three minutes later, the Mammoth would take their first lead of the contest 6-5 on a Jed Prossner dart past Swarm goalie Nick Patterson.

The Swarm did their best to fight back in the second half, scoring two goals early in the third quarter by Aaron Wilson and Kevin Ross. But the Mammoth punched their lead out to 11-7 at the end of the third quarter behind the hat-trick efforts of Prossner, Gill and Shewchuk. All three rounded out a busy night with three goals each by the end of the third frame.

In this back and forth, rough game, the Swarm wouldn't go away. They put together a string of four goals early in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 11-11, with Aaron Wilson's fourth of the night coming at the 5:23 mark. But Colorado, playing with the threat of their season record dropping below .500, dug deep and found a way to finish off the Swarm with the two late-game netters by the game MVP's.

The Mammoth were led by Shewchuk's eight point night (4 goals, 4 assists), Prossner's six point night (4 goals, 2 assists) and Gill's five point night (3 goals, 2 assists). Brian Langtry added a goal and three assists while Gavin Prout added three assists. Curtis Palidwor was spectacular off the bench in net for the Mammoth, stoning the Swarm on 32 of 39 shots.

Aaron Wilson led Minnesota with four goals and two assists, while Kevin Ross finished the night with a hat-trick and two assists. Sean Pollock chipped in with a pair of goals and four assists. The Swarm hustled to 64 loose balls to the Mammoth's 55.

Colorado travels to Philadelphia next Saturday, March 28 for a 5:30pm (MDT) game against the Wings. The next home game for the Mammoth is Friday, April 3 when the Rochester Knighthawks visit Pepsi Center for BLACKOUT Night and Party Pack Night. Tickets for all Mammoth home games are on sale now at the Pepsi Center box office, all Ticketmaster retail centers, online at Ticketmaster.com and by phone at 303.830.TIXS or 719.520.9090.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from March 22, 2009


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