NLL Colorado Mammoth

Mammoth update

Published on February 19, 2004 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


The recap

Gary Gait is not concerned about earning style points, never has been. But when you are the game's best player and all-time leading scorer with 528 goals, there are bound to be some pretty ones. Gait added another beauty to his career highlight reel last Saturday in Calgary, Alberta, flicking a shot behind his back 30 seconds into overtime to lift the Mammoth to a 13-12 victory over the Calgary Roughnecks.

Colorado (6-2) was in danger of conceding first place in the NLL's Western Division to Calgary (4-3) before a furious fourth-quarter rally brought the Mammoth back. Just as it had done in Denver two weeks prior, the Mammoth trailed the Roughnecks throughout most of the game. However, Colorado's rally did not fall short this time, as the Mammoth scored five consecutive goals to overcome a four-goal deficit and take a 12-11 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the game.

Calgary's Jason Wulder played the momentary role of spoiler, scoring with 6 seconds left to force the overtime, but Gait went to work right away, scoring to keep Colorado unbeaten in overtime games this season (3-0).

Gait did not do it alone, though. John Wilson, whose deft scoring touch, especially on the power play, has made him one of the team's biggest and most pleasant surprises this season, scored three goals in the game to up his season total to 12. Wilson trails only Gait and Gavin Prout, who added two more tallies in the game to give him 22 on the year. Prout also notched a season-high seven assists in the game. Brian Langtry was the other mammoth player with multiple goals in the win, scoring a pair to bring his season total up to 10.

Alone at the top

After beating Calgary and improving its record to 6-2 the Mammoth stayed atop the Western Division standings and retained the best record in the NLL. The Buffalo Bandits won a pair of games over the weekend, improving to 6-2 and tying Colorado for the league's best mark.

The Mammoth holds a game and a half advantage over San Jose (4-3) and Calgary (4-3) and is two and a half games up on Arizona (3-4) in the West. Buffalo leads the Eastern Division at 6-2.

Packing Pepsi

The Mammoth has hosted two consecutive sellouts and leads the league in attendance, averaging 17,308 fans per home game. Toronto is second with 16,045 and Philadelphia is third at 13,472. The league average is 9,893.

Proud of Prout

Gavin Prout's two goals against Calgary kept him in the league lead with 22, although Buffalo's John Tavares did pull into a tie over the weekend. Prout is trying to become the second Mammoth player in as many years to lead the NLL in goals after Gary Gait scored a record 61 goals last season. Gait, who scored twice against the Roughnecks, isn't far off the pace this year. He has 20 goals, putting him in third place. San Jose's Mike Regan is in fourth with 19 goals.

Prout's 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) is also tops in the league scoring race. Tavares is second with 46 and Gait is third with 42 points on 20 goals and 22 assists.

One-goal wonder

After Saturday's win, seven of the Mammoth's eight games this season have been decided by one goal. The Mammoth is 5-2 in those games, with its losses coming at San Jose and at home versus Calgary. Colorado has gone to overtime three times this year, prevailing with wins in all three games. The Mammoth knocked off Vancouver 13-12 in extra time at GM Place, returned home to beat Arizona in overtime and came from behind to win in overtime last weekend in Calgary.

Fifteen of the NLL's 35 games – or 43 percent – thus far have been decided by one goal. Six of those 15 games have been decided in overtime, including one that went to triple overtime.

Hometown heroes

Mammoth fans attending the NLL All-Star Game at Pepsi Center on Feb. 22 will have plenty of their favorite players to root for. Colorado forwards Gavin Prout and Gary Gait, as well as goaltender Gee Nash, were named starters for the Western Division team. Defensemen Jay Jalbert and Jamie Hanford were picked as reserves, giving the Mammoth an individual team-high of five players in the game. By virtue of his team's league-best 5-2 record, Mammoth coach Jamie Batley will coach the Western All-Stars at the midseason exhibition. Mammoth forward Gary Gait will captain the West All-Stars.

Mammoth in TV Land

Sunday's NLL All-Star Game will be broadcast on Fox Sports Net via tape delay on Monday at noon. This is the third and final FSN lacrosse telecast from the Pepsi Center this season.

Mitch Hyder will do the play-by-play with Brian Shanahan on color commentary. Bill Hall will be the sideline reporter.

A look ahead

The Colorado Mammoth is proud to host the 2004 NLL All-Star Game, as the biggest stars in the game visit the Mile High City for the midseason exhibition.

Lacrosse legend and Mammoth forward Gary Gait was named captain of the Western Division team and Buffalo Bandits superstar John Tavares will captain the Eastern Division All-Stars. Gait is in his 14th season of professional lacrosse and is the league's all-time leader in goals scored (528) and points (959), and is second in assists (431). The Colorado captain was named MVP last season, the sixth time he has won the award (1995-1998, 2002 and 2003).

Tavares is in his 13th season of professional lacrosse and is the league's all-time leader in assists with 455. The veteran forward is second all-time in goals (447) and points (902), trailing only Gait in both categories. The Buffalo captain is a three-time MVP winner (1994, 2000 and 2001).

Last weekend
Saturday, Feb. 14
Pengrowth Saddledome – Calgary, Alberta
Colorado Mammoth 13, Calgary Roughnecks 12, OT

This weekend
Sunday, Feb. 22
Pepsi Center – Denver
National Lacrosse League All-Star Game, 4 p.m.

Check out the Colorado Mammoth Statistics

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National Lacrosse League Stories from February 19, 2004


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