Colorado Downs Arizona 18-17 in Overtime
GLENDALE, Ariz. – When Colorado Mammoth forward Brian Langtry scored the first goal of the night Friday at the Glendale Arena it was nothing to shout about. Thirty-four goals later, after Langtry beat Arizona Sting goaltender Mike Miron, the Mammoth emptied its bench in celebration of an 18-17 overtime win over the previously unbeaten Sting. The highest scoring game in Mammoth history brought the team's record to 3-3, moving it within a game of the West Division-leading Sting (3-1).
The Mammoth saw a two-goal lead evaporate and then gave up a shorthanded goal that put the Sting ahead 17-16 with 1 minute, 29 seconds remaining in regulation. With the power play still running, Mammoth captain Gavin Prout, who led the team with 10 points, scored his third goal of the game with just 58 seconds left to tie the game at 17. Chris Gill, who had a season-high six points, almost won the game for Colorado in regulation, but his shot in the final seconds hit the post.
The teams then traded chances to start overtime before Langtry used his defender as a screen and whipped a low shot past Miron for his third goal of the night and the Mammoth's third win of the 2006 National Lacrosse League season. The Sting had been the NLL's only remaining undefeated team.
Mammoth forward Dan Stroup had a breakout game with five goals. The veteran led the team in goals last season but before Friday had been held to just four goals in five games in 2006. He scored a key goal in the fourth quarter from point-blank range after setting a pick and cutting toward the net. Jay Jalbert, freed from his man by Stroup's pick, hit him with a pass and he buried the chance. Rookie Dan Carey followed it up just seconds later, picking up a loose ball near the crease and putting his shot into the net to give the Mammoth a 16-14 lead. Carey tied Prout for a team-high seven assists and his goal extended his career-opening goal-scoring streak to six games.
Mammoth goaltender Chris Levis, who replaced starter Gee Nash after halftime, made 14 saves and earned his second victory of the season. Miron, who replaced starter Rob Blasdell in the third quarter, made 15 saves and took the loss. Arizona forward Craig Conn had a phenomenal game with eight goals and three assists. Dan Dawson added a goal and a game-high eight assists for the Sting.
With the Sting's Peter Veltman in the box serving a hooking penalty, Stroup scooped up a rebound and backhanded a low shot past Miron to extend the Mammoth's advantage to 14-12. Stroup, the NLL's top power-play goal scorer in 2005, scored two of his five goals in man-up situations.
Jalbert scored a key goal when he converted a feed from Langtry with 2 seconds left in the third quarter to give the Mammoth a 13-11 lead. The Mammoth came out firing in the second half, scoring three consecutive goals in a span of just 1:14. Former Sting forward Gewas Schindler opened the scoring in the third quarter with his first goal in a Mammoth uniform and then Pat Coyle and Gill added goals to put the Mammoth ahead 10-7.
The game started with a flurry of offense as the Mammoth built a 3-2 lead just 3:27 into the first quarter. Arizona's defense stiffened and held the Mammoth scoreless for the next 18 minutes, taking a 6-3 lead in the process. Prout ended the drought with his first goal of the game and the Mammoth scored three of the next four goals to tie the game 7-7 at halftime.
In other NLL action Friday night, Minnesota edged Edmonton 7-6 to even their record at 3-3. The expansion Rush fell to 0-5.
