Round Two: Jax vs. Mammoth

February 5, 2008 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Portland Lumberjax News Release


PORTLAND, February 5, 2008 - After their first win of the season, the Portland LumberJax will now attempt to play the role of the New York Giants as they face the undefeated Colorado Mammoth (4-0) in Round II of the epic battle between the two teams. The Jax (1-3) and Mammoth face-off at 6 p.m. PST at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado on Thursday, February 7.

In the first meeting of the season, Colorado won a late round decision by pulling off the 12-11 overtime decision on 1/24/08 at the Rose Garden. After trailing for much of the game, the Mammoth mounted a late rally en route to its victory.

Colorado holds a 4-2 series edge over the Jax heading into the seventh meeting between the two clubs. Since Portland swept the 2006 season, the Mammoth have won the past four meetings. In three of the six meetings, the game has been decided by only one goal.

The Colorado loss was a clear disappointment, but the Jax regrouped and are coming off their best game of the season. In an 11-10 win over the Edmonton Rush at Rexall Placed, Portland put everything together for its first win of the season.

The offense flew out of the gates, recording five first quarter goals to give the Jax an early cushion. Tyler Codron and Cory Conway scored the first goals of their National Lacrosse League careers as Matt Holman, Derek Malawsky and Brodie Merrill also supplied first quarter goals. The five first quarter goals were a season-high for the Jax, a clear indication that the offense is beginning to jell and come together as one cohesive unit.

Playing in his first game of the season, transition player Adam Bysouth scored on a deep perimeter shot in the second quarter. Bysouth would later assist on the game winning goal by Derek Malawsky.

Malawsky finished with a hat trick and forward Dan Dawson also supplied two goals and an assist. Overall, Malawsky and Dawson have combined for 20 of the 39 Portland goals. They've also combined for 39% of the overall point scoring during the opening stages of the 2008 season.

The swarming Jax defense slowed Edmonton as the two teams traded leads in the second half. By the end of the game, the Rush had only put 38 shots on goal. The total was a franchise best for fewest shots allowed on goal in a regular season game for Portland.

Many of the 38 Shots on goal Edmonton put together came in the fourth quarter on goalie Matt King. Sprawled on the ground, facing the Rush's firing line, King resembled former USA Hockey goalie Jim Craig when he stonewalled Russia in the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York. King would finish with 28 saves of the 38 shots he faced. He only allowed one fourth quarter goal in the winning effort.

The win moved Portland to 5-1 all-time against Edmonton with two more regular season meetings on tap, and more importantly it gives the Jax momentum heading into the second fight with Colorado.



National Lacrosse League Stories from February 5, 2008


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