NLL Preseason: Mammoth, Riggers, Blazers Win
from press releases
DENVER -- The Colorado Mammoth defeated the
Minnesota Swarm 10-7 in NLL preseason action Friday night at Pepsi
Center. The game, in front of 7431 fans, was Colorado’s
final preseason tune-up as the team closes in on the regular season
opener on January 9.
Minnesota got out to a 3-0 lead early in the first period behind
two Callum Crawford goals. Cory Conway got the Mammoth on the board
with 3:08 left in the first followed by an Alex Gajic netter just
90 seconds later. The quarter ended 3-2 with Minnesota in
front.
Conway went on a scoring tear in the second frame with a hat trick
in the period. His fourth goal (third of the quarter) come on
a highlight, behind-the-back shot that left the Swarm goalie, Kevin
Croswell, frozen in his tracks. Mammoth goalie, Curtis
Palidwor held the Swarn without a goal in the second, and behind
Conway’s heroics, Colorado took a 5-3 lead into the halftime
locker room.
The back-and-forth battle saw the teams swapping goals throughout
the third quarter. Alex Gajic, Nick Carlson and Ilija Gajic
ripped netters for the Mammoth while Sean Pollock and Zack Greer
scored for the Swarm as the frame ended 8-5 with Colorado in the
lead.
In the fourth quarter, Minnesota cut the lead to 8-6 at the 11:47
mark on Greer’s second score of the night. Alex Gajic
scored his third goal of the night at 9:16, to extend the Mammoth
lead back to three at 9-6. Another Pollock goal late for the
Swarm made it 9-7, but Jamie Shewchuk drew rope just :38 seconds
later to put the Mammoth up 10-7 – and that’s how the
game would end.
The Mammoth opens the 2010 regular season on the road against the
Washington Stealth on Jan. 9. The home-opener is one week
later as Colorado hosts the Edmonton Rush at Pepsi Center on
Saturday, Jan. 16.
LETHBRIDGE, AB -- The Calgary Roughnecks beat
the Edmonton Rush 15-12 in a fierce Battle of Alberta exhibition
matchup Saturday night at Lethbridge’s ENMAX Centre.
Roughnecks’ forward Jeff Shattler scored the first goal of
the night, just 48 seconds into the game. He didn’t stop
there; with a hat trick three minutes in and a personal tally of
five goals in the first half, Shattler smoothed the way for the
Riggers. Craig Conn, Rob Van Beek, Dane Dobbie, Nolan Heavenor and
Scott Ranger followed with a goal each, giving the Riggers a 10-5
lead at the end of the first half.
Edmonton’s Gavin Prout, Jimmy Quinlan, Brodie Merril, Ryan
Powell and Pat Jones put up a goal each in favour of the Rush in
the first half. The provincial rivals tangled it up on the turf a
couple times.
Rush’s Scott Tinning scored the first goal of the second
half. Carlton Schuss scored the Riggers’ first goal of the
second half; Dobbie (3g), Heavenor (2g), and Conn followed with
another three. Merrill (2g) notched the Rush’s ninth goal
shorthanded to bring Edmonton within three of Calgary, with a
minute and a half remaining in the third quarter. Powell (2g), Ryan
Ward, Prout (2g), Dean Hill and scored another four goals in favour
of the Rush. Conn (3g) scored the final goal for the Roughnecks,
sealing the 15-12 win.
These two teams will see each other three times during the 2010
regular season, and face off again Jan. 30 at Edmonton’s
Rexall Place. The Calgary Roughnecks kick off the 2010 season on
Sunday, Jan. 10 at the Pengrowth Saddledome against the Minnesota
Swarm.
SIX NATIONS -- The Boston Blazers used a
four-goal fourth quarter to defeat the Rochester Knighthawks 9-7
today in a National Lacrosse League preseason scrimmage game at the
Iroquois Lacrosse Arena. Rochester finished its preseason schedule
with a 1-1 record.
Jamie Rooney had the hot hand for the Knighthawks, collecting four
goals and one assist. Daryl Veltman led the Blazers with three
points (2g, 1a), while Gary Bining and Greg Downing each scored
twice. Mike Poulin earned the win in goal, allowing four goals in
two quarters of play. Jake Henhawk picked up the loss as he
backstopped Rochester in the fourth quarter.
Veltman opened the scoring at 3:50 of the first quarter as he
converted a rebound past the right arm of Pat O'Toole. Rochester
tied things up at 5:27 off a goal by Rooney. Rooney took the feed
from Shawn Williams and drove across the crease and beat Anthony
Cosmo to the far post. Yet, the Blazers regained the lead at 11:50
on a power-play goal from Bining to make it 2-1.
In the second, Veltman picked up his second point of the game,
assisting on Brendan Thenhaus’ goal power-play goal at 1:29
and the lead was 3-1. Boston quickly went on its fourth PP, but
this time John Grant tallied for Rochester, receiving an outlet
pass from O’Toole to make it 3-2 at 2:23. The Knighthawks
knotted their second straight at 6:41, while on a 5-on-3 power
play. Shawn Evans converted from just outside the crease to tie the
game at three. The Blazers recaptured the lead with two goals in 11
seconds as Mike Kirk beat O’Toole at 9:12 to make it 4-3 and
then Downing tallied at 9:23 for a 5-3 Boston advantage.
In the third quarter, it was the Jamie Rooney show as he scored
three straight. His first of the quarter cut the lead to 5-4 at
3:47 off a pretty pass from Peter Jacobs. Rooney struck for the
third time today at 10:45 from Jacobs to tie the game at five. He
scored an acrobatic goal, as he leapt in the air and dunked the
ball over a diving Mike Poulin. Rooney recorded his fourth of the
game, and third straight, off a crease dive at 12:43. It was the
first lead of the game for the Knighthawks.
The final quarter began with Rooney picking up his fifth point of the contest. His pass was deflected off the stick off Craig Point and past Poulin for a 7-5 lead 46 seconds into the final frame. The Blazers, however, stormed back with three goals in the next 2:22 to take an 8-7 lead. Veltman, Downing and Bining all scored their second goals of the game in the three-goal outburst. Mike Stone then added an insurance goal for Boston with 1:15 to play.
