NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth Knock off Rochester Knighthawks Via 18-13 Victory at LOUD HOUSE

Published on January 3, 2026 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - The Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) secured an 18-13 victory over the previously undefeated Rochester Knighthawks Saturday night inside Ball Arena to advance to 2-2 on the season.

Putting on quite the show in front of 9,345 passionate lacrosse supporters, the Burgundy Boys completed a total team effort on a night where Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward became just the sixth netminder in league history to amass 10,000 minutes played in net.

Forward Will Malcom paced Mammoth scorers with nine points (4g, 5a), while newcomer Jack Hannah notched eight points (2g, 6a) during his debut with Colorado. Ryan Lee (2g, 5a), Thomas Vela (2g, 3a), Jalen Chaster (2g, 3a), Braedon Saris (2g, 0a) rounded out primary scoring efforts, while Dylan McIntosh (1g, 1a), Robert Hope (0g, 2a), Jordan Gilles (1g, 0a), Warren Jeffrey (1g, 0a) and Matthew Paolatto (1g, 0a) added to the offensive explosion of a Week 6 showcase.

Ryan Lee notched his 400th point Saturday night, while Jack Hannah logged the 100th career goal of his professional box career. Ward stopped 43-of-56 on the night.

Rochester's Ryan Smith opened the contest's scoring nearly four minutes in as the Knighthawks put some early ball movement on display, which ended up leading to a conversion as Smith beat Ward to earn the away team an early 1-0 advantage.

But a combined flurry of tallies from Jalen Chaster and Jack Hannah within 25 seconds of each other sparked a resurgence amongst the LOUD HOUSE fans as the home team was up 2-1 midway through the opening frame.

And wouldn't you know it, scoring the 100th goal of his young NLL career, the DU product put on the burners, went airborne and sent a set of dekes at goaltender Ryan Hartley before tucking one back his original near side and igniting Ball Arena once more.

Hannah had arrived - and the LOUD HOUSE was thankful! Which only sparked a fellow young right-handed weapon in Braedon Saris to add to the run 43 seconds later, who wound up a FIERCE overhand bid and sent a shot spiraling into the net, the first of his professional career.

Able to stop the run at four-straight, Rochester's Connor Fields accepted a back-door lob and rocketed one past Ward to cut Colorado's lead down to two with less than four to play in the first.

Afforded a 5-on-3 man-up look just before the opening 15 came to a close, Fields made it two in a row himself as the chippiness continued to elevate and the scoreboard read 4-3. But another 5-on-3 set provided a runway for a tie, as Ryan Lanchbury converted with just 31 seconds to play.

Unfortunately, the Knighthawks were riding a nasty wave of momentum, as Lanchbury accepted another lob pass and instantly slammed one home, making it four-straight for Rochester. The quarter eventually, in fact, ended, with a 5-4 advantage in favor of the Knighthawks.

But after a pair of early second-period penalties, it was Colorado who was positioned with a 5-on-3 three look, which quickly led to a backdoor quick stick via Ryan Lee, who earned his fourth point of the night and consecutively the 400th of his career.

Just 25 seconds later, "Wild Bill" Will Malcom fielded a cross-set pass from his new teammate in Hannah and immediately fired it on net. Beating Hartley and restoring Colorado's one-goal lead, No. 4 was on the scoresheet and the Mammoth offense was humming once again.

Scooping up a loose ball and hustling his way down the entire length of the turf, defenseman Warren Jeffrey provided quite the spark by beating Hartley once again and extending Colorado's advantage to two five minutes into the second.

Representing a second-straight shorthanded goal, Malcom got in on the fun again with a high-flying tally less than a minute later as Ball Arena was absolutely ON FIRE Saturday night as the Mammoth cruised to an 8-5 lead.

Colorado was feeling it in Week 6, bouncing back from a three-goal performance the weekend prior to put up nine in the first 20 minutes, as the rookie Saris fired away once more, with the rock trickling past the opposing netminder and finding twine with 4:55 to play in the first half.

Now six in a row for the home team, the wickedest mustache around these parts was seen placing a third ball in the back of the net, as Malcom completed his first-half hat trick two minutes later as the Mammoth scoring barrage was effective, in full force.

The only thing cooler than six-seven goals would be an actual seventh-consecutive goal-lighting effort, which came in the form of a Thomas Vela conversion as No. 17 made his way to the spotlight.

The barn was loud, the boys were scoring and A LOT of fun was being had.

And even though the Knighthawks were able to finally respond with a late goal, with Lanchbury finishing his hat trick, the Mammoth owned an 11-6 advantage at the break. In-house PA announcer Big Rob was getting a ton of early-season reps in, and the crowd loved each and every one! Needing just 35 seconds to light the lamp, Rochester's Thomas McConvey notched his first of the night as the Knighthawks climbed back within four.

However, this night belonged to the Burgundy Boys, as Flyin' Ryan Lee was cleared for liftoff. Taking off horizontally, Lee stretched his stick around the Rochester netminder and landed in dramatic fashion, but not before logging his second of the night.

The back-and-forth contest raged on shortly after, as Lanchbury responded via his fourth tally of the night as a four-goal deficit was restored. Now two in a row for the away team, McConvey logged his second of the half as momentum began to shift.

Yet, that goal would serve as the final tally of the third, as Colorado held onto a 12-9 lead heading into the final 15 minutes of play.

Refusing to allow the scoreless stretch to continue, Dylan McIntosh recorded his first of the night and fifth of the season by rolling high over the set and firing HEAT on net, thus extending the Mammoth lead to four once more.

Serving as a second-straight for the good guys, Malcom quietly crept to the backside of the set before accepting a fine dish and rocketing his fourth of the evening into the back of the net as the LOUD HOUSE showed its appreciation again! Continuing to represent a transition threat on the season, defenseman Jacob Piseno shook things up with a scrappy effort as the Knighthawks climbed back to within four nearly five minutes into the final session.

Three-straight for Rochester, Zed Williams announced his return to Ball Arena with his first of the night.

But it was getting late - And Thomas Vela wanted to put some icing on the tasty cake that Week 6 became, notching his second of the night as the Mammoth were up three again.

Adding a little insult to injury, defenseman Jordan Gilles chipped in an empty-netter as the Mammoth scoreboard featured a 16 for the first time in a while. And the crowd? They ROARED in approval as one of the team's longest tenured veterans cashed in.

With 1:34 to play, McConvey fought his way through a double-team effort and managed to sneak one past Ward. But a late-game, empty-net answer from Jalen Chaster nearly solidified the 17-13 victory for Colorado as the LOUD HOUSE celebrated the team's first home win on the year.

The only thing to follow was rookie faceoff specialist Matthew Paolatto recording his first professional marker - Just another reason for the Mammoth faithful to rise to their feet.

THAT would solidify the 18-13 final on a night that fans throughout the Colorado Lacrosse scene won't soon forget.

Colorado now prepares for a pair of away contests in the form of a road rematch against the Georgia Swarm Saturday, Jan. 10 and a showdown in the Atlantic Time Zone against the Halifax Thunderbirds Jan. 16 Limited tickets remain for the organization's Jan. 24 showdown against the Oshawa FireWolves.

Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels throughout the season for the latest league updates, team transactions and beyond.

Check out the Colorado Mammoth Statistics

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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 3, 2026


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