NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth sprints past Sting

Published on February 14, 2005 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER – Speed kills. Two plays executed by two of the Colorado Mammoth's fastest players made the difference in a thrilling, come-from-behind victory on Sunday night at Pepsi Center. Josh Sims tied the score late in the game and Nick Carlson made a game-winning assist on Gavin Prout's goal 56 seconds into overtime to lift the Mammoth to a 13-12 win over the visiting Arizona Sting.

The Mammoth (3-3) began the fourth quarter trailing 10-8 and in danger of losing to Arizona (3-4) at home for the second time this season. Jay Jalbert scored the second of his two goals to cut the Sting's lead in half, and then the speedy Sims used his legs to tie the game. Sims took an outlet pass from Mammoth defender Pat Coyle and burned down the field, right past a scrambling Peter Lough and beat Arizona goaltender Mike Miron with a bounce shot.

Prout gave the Mammoth its first lead of the second half, putting Colorado up 11-10 with 7:14 remaining. But after Jonas Derks tied it and Scott Self put Arizona up 12-11 with slightly more than five minutes to play, the Mammoth was in trouble again.

Mammoth captain Gary Gait, the NLL's all-time leading scorer, bailed his team out. Gait drew a double team as he drove to the net, and then dumped the ball off to Scott

Stapleford who took one step and fired. Miron caught a piece of the shot, but the ball fell between the massive goaltender's legs and trickled across the line. Stapleford's equalizer stood for the final two minutes and Mammoth goaltender Gee Nash made a save with less than 10 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime.

Once again, however, the Mammoth appeared to be in trouble. After Jamie Hanford won the opening faceoff the Mammoth was penalized for too many men. On Arizona's ensuing power play Nash once again made a game-saving stop. He immediately fed the ball to one of the Mammoth's other speedsters, Carlson, who flew down the field and made the final pass. Prout caught Carlson's feed, slammed on the brakes, moved around his man and back into the slot where he slipped the game-winning goal behind Miron. The crowd of 16,238 roared as Prout climbed the glass and celebrated as the jubilant Mammoth bench emptied onto the floor.

The win moves Colorado into a second-place tie in the National Lacrosse league's West Division with San Jose (3-3), a half game behind Calgary (4-3). Prout led all scorers with seven points on two goals and five assists. Dan Stroup led the Mammoth with three goals and Pat Maddalena paced Arizona with three as well. Nash earned his third victory of the season with 28 saves. Miron made 37 saves and took the loss.

With the Mammoth trailing by two in the first quarter Gait ignited a five-goal run by taking a crisp pass from Stapleford into the low slot and burying his shot. Chris Panos, who tallied five points on two goals and three assists, all in the first half, followed with a behind-the-back goal after taking an entry pass in stride from Prout. After Gait scored again Stroup capped the run with two consecutive goals to put Colorado up 6-3, but the Sting answered with three of its own to even the score.

Jalbert put the Mammoth up by one with a rocket shot from 25 feet out, but Bomberry pulled the Sting into 7-7 tie with less than three seconds remaining in the first half.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from February 14, 2005


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