NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth tops Bandits in overtime

Published on January 13, 2007 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - On a frigid night in the Mile High City the Colorado Mammoth and Buffalo Bandits played a heated game of lacrosse inside Pepsi Center. While temperatures dipped into negative numbers outside, the Mammoth and Bandits traded goals - and occasional punches - in a spirited rematch of the 2006 National Lacrosse League championship game.

Thanks to Dan Carey's goal 4 minutes, 17 seconds into overtime, the Mammoth once again topped the powerful Bandits, winning 11-10 in front of 16,523 noisy fans. Carey led all scorers by netting four goals in his second consecutive game.

The Mammoth trailed with less than two minutes remaining in regulation, but tied the score at 10-10 when transition man Nenad Gajic fed the ball to Jason Bloom, who ducked under a Buffalo defender and scored the tying goal from on top of the crease. After the teams traded possessions the Mammoth defense forced overtime by holding off the Bandits, who couldn't get a shot off before time expired.

Mammoth goaltender Gee Nash, who turned in his second straight strong performance, made two key saves in the sudden-death overtime to open the door for Carey's heroics. Nash finished with 33 saves to earn his second victory of the season and allow the Mammoth to open the season 3-0 for the first time in team history.

"I thought Gee was fantastic when we really needed him tonight," Mammoth coach Gary Gait said. "His saves in overtime and after we fell behind late in the game gave us the opportunities we needed."

After trailing 6-4 at halftime the Mammoth dominated the third quarter, reeling off four consecutive goals to take a two-goal lead. Carey's third goal of the game capped the run and sent the Mammoth into the fourth quarter with an 8-6 advantage.

But the Bandits controlled much of the fourth quarter and scored three straight goals, capped by John Tavares' marker that gave the Bandits a 10-9 lead with 4:52 remaining. Tavares led the Bandits with three goals and goaltender Mike Thompson made 35 saves as the Bandits fell to 1-2.

Mammoth forward Mike Law scored the game's first goal and finished with three. Captain Gavin Prout, Jamie Shewchuk and Matt Leveque each added one. Gajic finished with a game-high four assists.

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National Lacrosse League Stories from January 13, 2007


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