NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth tops Calgary in OT, advances to division final

April 22, 2006 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - Brian Langtry, the Mammoth's all-time leader in playoff and game-winning goals, added to his totals in high style on Saturday night at Pepsi Center. The forward launched a sidearm shot from the high slot 1 minute and 15 seconds into overtime that trickled across the goal line to give the Mammoth an 18-17 victory over the Calgary Roughnecks in the National Lacrosse League's West Division semifinal.

The Mammoth advances to the division final next weekend versus the winner of tonight's Arizona Sting-Portland LumberJax game.

Langtry scored four goals to give him 16 in five career playoff games for the Mammoth. The win was the Mammoth's first postseason victory since 2003 and sends the team to its second West Division final in three years.

Mammoth captain Gavin Prout, suspended by the league on Monday and reinstated on Thursday, showed the 13,426 fans in attendance on Saturday why he is one of the elite players in the sport of lacrosse. Prout set Mammoth single-game playoff records with seven assists and 12 points and led the team with five goals.

"We feel great," Prout said. "This is a huge confidence builder and we can't wait to head into the next game."

The Mammoth led 15-12 entering the fourth quarter, but the Roughnecks fought back to score four consecutive goals and take a 16-15 lead. Prout then set up the tying goal by feeding Andrew Burkholder for his third goal of the night. Burkholder gave the Mammoth a 17-16 lead when he scored his fourth goal of the game with 1 minute, 10 seconds to play. The shot hit just behind the goal line and was not initially called a goal until officials reviewed the shot after play stopped. Calgary's Kevin Dostie scored his team-best fifth goal with less than a minute remaining to send the game into overtime.

Calgary scored the first two goals of the second half to take a 12-11 lead. The Mammoth then switched goaltenders, replacing Gee Nash with Chris Levis, and reeled off four consecutive goals to take a three-goal lead into the fourth quarter. Levis earned the victory, allowing five goals on 23 shots. Nash made 19 saves on 31 shots in better than 36 minutes of work.

Dan Carey, Jay Jalbert, Ben Prepchuk, Josh Sims and Dan Stroup each scored once for the Mammoth.

With the score tied 7-7 with less than 5 minutes remaining in the first half, the Mammoth went on a four-goal run initiated by Langtry's third goal of the night. Stroup scored then Prout added one to put the Mammoth ahead 10-7, which prompted Calgary coach Chris Hall to replace Curtis Palidwor with Andrew Leyshon in net. Leyshon took the loss after allowing eight goals on 34 shots. Palidwor made 20 saves on 30 shots before being pulled.

Prepchuk scored to give the Mammoth an 11-7 lead and its largest lead of the game, but Calgary answered with three goals to cut the lead to one at halftime.

Dostie opened the scoring in the second quarter with two goals to give the Roughnecks a 6-4 lead, but goals by Prout and Carey evened it back up.

Matt Leveque took a 5-minute major penalty for boarding Roughnecks captain Tracey Kelusky late in the first quarter and Ratcliff scored on the ensuing power play to put Calgary ahead 4-3. Prout tied it moments later, scoring after taking a pass from Sims on a 2-on-1 shorthanded break.

The Roughnecks took a 2-0 lead early in the game before the Mammoth countered with goals by Langtry and Jalbert to tie the score.

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