Colorado Surrenders 11-6 Final to Saskatchewan During LOUD HOUSE Finale

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NLL Colorado Mammoth

Colorado Surrenders 11-6 Final to Saskatchewan During LOUD HOUSE Finale

April 13, 2025 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - The Colorado Mammoth dropped an 11-6 final to the Saskatchewan Rush Sunday afternoon during the team's first-ever Tusk Up Games, thus falling to 8-9 on the season.

Mammoth forward Will Malcom led Mammoth scoring efforts with five points (3g, 2a), while Mammoth netminder Dillon Ward stopped 50-of-61 on the night.

Cashing in during an early power-play look, the wildest man in the west "Wild Bill" Will Malcom understood the assignment. Not wasting any time, he got the good guys on the board three minutes into the opening period as the LOUD HOUSE crowd erupted in approval.

Evening the score in similar man-up fashion less than two minutes later, Saskatchewan's Jake Boudreau finished a transition tally to knot the game at one per side.

Completing quite the one-man effort, forward Thomas Vela fought through a series of cross-checks and beyond before eventually dashing between a pair of opposing defensemen and slamming one past Rush goaltender Frank Scigliano as the home team was back in front midway through the first.

But the Saskatchewan captain in Ryan Keenan proved his mettle in retaliation fashion a mere 53 seconds later to quiet the crowd inside Ball Arena.

With 15 minutes down, each team had managed two goals in the defensive battle as the former Western Conference rivals put on a show.

Pulling off a swim move, Rush scorer Levi Anderson dashed toward the crease before laying out and beating Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward with a diving bid as the league's No. 2-ranked unit earned its first advantage of the evening.

Now three-straight for the visitors, the man who produced a sock trick against Colorado the last time the teams battled, Austin Shanks, netted his first of the night as the green guys were building some midgame momentum.

Following an eight-minute scoring drought, the Rush made it four in a row courtesy of another power-play tally after Mammoth defenseman Damon Edwards was called for an Illegal Body Checking penalty late in the second quarter. Shanks cashed in, his second of the day, which would serve as the half's final conversion.

After surrendering 13 goals to the Rush during the squads' first meeting earlier this season, Sunday's effort was a noticeable improvement, as the scoreboard read 5-2 following the opening 30 minutes of competition. But with Colorado down three at the break, the Burgundy Boys knew they'd need their rally caps handy.

However, it was Saskatchewan which lit up the board first. Making it five in a row as a team while completing his natural hat trick, Shanks was halfway to a sock trick feat just two minutes into the second half, as he netted his third of the afternoon.

The Rush run continued two and a half minutes later as veteran forward Robert Church stepped down and watched his team's goal total go up, now six in a row for the visiting contingent as the Mammoth were down five.

Things started to get physical midway through the third - And Colorado personnel didn't seem to be on the right side of many of the exchanges.

No. 33, Shanks, suddenly had his fourth marker of the game as he pulled up and sent an awkward yet effective side-armed bid flying past Ward with 8:50 to play in the period. Seven-consecutive for the Rush - But all 9,834 fans in attendance knew the boys were capable of closing the gap.

Yet, it was Saskatchewan who provided the next goal, albeit six minutes later. Netting his second of the contest, Keenan shed his defender before peeling crease side and beating Ward to grant the Rush a seven-goal lead with two and a half minutes to play in the third.

Forward Zach Manns added onto the run just over a minute later as the scoreboard read 10-2 in favor of the Rush. Which would also serve as the figures displayed inside Ball Arena when the final 15-minute period arrived.

Extinguishing a 37-plus-minute scoring drought, Ryan Lee sent a slick pass from behind the crease to a leaping Will Malcom, who accepted and found twine mid-jump to bring the hood guys back within seven early in the final frame.

Until another member of the squad was deemed to be within the crease when Malcom scored, thus wiping the goal off the board and keeping the Mammoth's scoreless streak alive.

Colorado refused to go away, though, as Connor Kelly ACTUALLY got the Burgundy Boys back on the board while ending the 40-minute scoreless skid. Completing a falling yet diving head-on conversion, CK40 earned his 30th tally of the year as the Mammoth were down 10-3.

Boudreau recaptured momentum on a breakaway look just over a minute later to re-establish his team's eight-goal advantage midway through the period as it started to get late inside Ball Arena.

Not TOO late, though, with Malcom doubling down while recording his 34th of the season. No. 2 can do it in a lot of ways and he was putting them all on display Sunday afternoon while re-energizing nearly 10,000 fans.

Two-straight for the good guys, C-ROB sent a fierce saucer from just inside the restraining line while bringing the boys back to within six. Just over four minutes remained as the contest started to become a bit more dramatic.

Logging his third of the night en route to completing his hat trick, Malcom placed a prime shot far side to beat Scigliano and create an 11-6 game during the final minute. But that would serve as the game's final goal, with the Rush capturing the victory.

Will Malcom paced Mammoth scoring efforts with five points (3g, 2a), while TJ Comizio (0g, 2a), Connor Kelly (1g, 1a), Thomas Vela (1g, 0a) and Connor Robinson (1g, 0a) rounded out the scoresheet.

Veteran forward Dan Taylor made his debut with the Mammoth Sunday afternoon but wasn't able to make much of an impact on the scoring sheet. He was visibly moving bodies and creating some space but wasn't able to crack the code himself when it came to conversions.

Of course, once the ball action concluded, the league's LOUDEST fans were treated to an indoor fireworks performance as the organization extended its annual "THANK YOU" to its dedicated supporters.

Set to conclude the 2024-25 regular season next weekend north of the border, Colorado is primed to visit the (8-8) Calgary Roughnecks as the Mammoth look to secure its berth to the approaching postseason. Holding an 8-9 record, Colorado needs to defeat the Roughnecks Saturday should the franchise want to return to the playoffs.

Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels throughout the remainder of the season for additional updates on the team's March to May, potential postseason matchups inside Ball Arena and everything #TuskUp!

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