“Muffler” Mike Kostiuk – Senior Correspondent, All Lacrosse All The Time
The Georgia Swarm took on the Colorado Mammoth at Ball Arena in Denver Sunday afternoon, looking to stay undefeated on the year. The Mammoth were trying to stay perfect at home and remain just one game out of first place in the standings. The Swarm rallied from deficits of 4-1 and 10-8 to win 13-12, improving to 4-0 on the season, while Colorado falls to 3-2. Georgia hosts Rochester in Week 6, while Colorado has their first bye week. These teams will meet again in Sting City in Week 11.
Swarm explode in second quarter
Former Mammoth transition player Joey Cupido, who signed with Georgia in the offseason, put the Swarm on the board first a mere 40 seconds into the game. Colorado would fire back with a four-goal run in the first quarter. Connor Robinson (4:57 power play), Will Malcom (5:51), and a pair from Connor Kelly (9:35; 14:23) gave the Mammoth a 4-1 lead after 15 minutes of play.
Shayne Jackson and Seth Oakes each scored power play goals a minute apart (1:31; 2:31) to pull the Swarm within one, 4-3. Malcom’s second goal (7:59 power play) pushed the lead back to two, but Lyle Thompson (9:15) and Brendan Bomberry (10:34) leveled the game at 5-5. Robinson sniped his second from the restraining line at 10:52 to put Colorado up 6-5, but Thompson answered for the Swarm with his second (13:19 power play). Ryan Lee (14:10) gave the Mammoth a 7-6 lead before Bomberry tied it again 15 seconds later for a 7-7 score at halftime.
https://twitter.com/GeorgiaSwarmLAX/status/1873475622145519825
Cole, Kew keep Swarm perfect on the season
Bryan Cole gave the Swarm their first lead since 1-0 at 0:49 of the third quarter. Eleven and half minutes of game time then went by without a score or a penalty, until Owen Rahn went back-to-back (12:34; 14:39) for his first two career NLL goals and a 9-8 Mammoth lead going into the fourth quarter. Robinson’s hat trick goal (2:40 fourth quarter) extended the lead to 10-8. Cole netted two more (4:13; 5:40) for the Swarm to tie the game at 10-10.
Thomas Vela scored just over a minute later (6:42) to put Colorado back in front. But Andrew Kew scored the Swarm’s fourth power play goal of the game (9:26) to tie the game, 11-11. Kelly’s hat trick goal (10:24) was answered by Liam Byrnes on a broken play for Georgia (11:18). The stage was set for Kew to score another game winner, off a rebound with Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward out of position (14:07). Colorado was unable to find an equalizer to force overtime.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1873496305542017329
Other Stats of Note
Swarm: Cole (3g, 1a); Thompson (2g, 4a); Bomberry (2g, 4a); Kew (2g, 3a); Jackson (1g, 5a); Oakes (1g, 2a)
Mammoth: Kelly (3g, 2a); Robinson (3g, 1a); Malcom (2g, 3a); Rahn (2g); Lee (1g, 2a); Vela (1g, 1a)
Brett Dobson (GA): 29 saves; Dillon Ward (COL): 44 saves
Power Play: GA 4 for 5; COL 2 for 4
Robert Hope (COL): 12 Loose Balls (led all players); 1 Caused Turnover
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