Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Black Bears Instagram
The Colorado Mammoth (8-6) traveled to Ottawa to face the Black Bears (6-8) at the Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario.
Ottawa played a great game Friday in Halifax coming up just short 17-16. Reilly O’Connor (3g,3a) and Jeff Teat (6g,4a) led the way with Larson Sundown (2g,2a), and Travis Longboat (2g,2a) showing how powerful an offense the Black Bears possess.
Colorado has been playing well also, despite losing two big pieces. With Eli McLaughlin and Zed Williams out of the lineup, the next man up mentality has kicked in again. Will Malcom, Ryan Lee, Tyson Gibson and Connor Robinson have all played big parts in their success.
The goalie match-up had Nathan Whittom in net for the Mammoth facing Zach Higgins of the Black Bears.
A first half that had everything. Great goals, great defense, hard hits and timely challenges was the order of the day. Ottawa went to halftime up 5-4 on the strength of three Jeff Teat goals.
The second half saw Colorado take the lead briefly, but then the Black Bears woke up. Scoring eight of the next ten goals, Ottawa changed the landscape of the game. Jeff Teat (5g,4a), Connor Kearnan (2g,4a) and Reilly O’Connor (1g,4a) led the way as the Black Bears were able to end a four game losing streak with a 14-9 victory.
To The Game:
Ryan Lee opened the scoring from in front off a perfect pass from Thomas Vela at 2:26, followed by Ben McDonald converting a Ryan Lee feed at 5:57.
After killing off a Mammoth two man advantage, the Black Bears continued their momentum with Jeff Teat finding the back of the net twice. The first was a bounced shot off a Travis Longboat pass at 9:30, followed by a laser to the corner from a Connor Kearnan feed at 14:22.
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The Mammoth answered quickly to regain the lead when Thomas Vela scored on a high to high shot off a Will Malcom pass at 14:54.
After one quarter, Colorado 3 Ottawa 2.
Second Quarter:
The Black Bears got rolling early when Jeff Teat found Reilly O’Connor alone in front for the tying goal at 3:08.
Jeff Teat got his third of the game in transition going in all alone off a long lead pass from Reed Kurtz at 5:45, but was answered by Ryan Lee from in close off a TJ Comizio pass 0:18 seconds later.
Ottawa took the lead late in the quarter when Travis Longboat converted a Reilly O’Connor pass at 14:18.
At the half, Ottawa 5 Colorado 4.
Third Quarter:
Larson Sundown got Ottawa rolling in the third quarter. A dive from behind the net off a Reilly O’Connor pass at 2:44 increased the Black Bears lead to two goals.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1903907508118344110?t=eooyBNqKBt1jjeffTEtq9w&s=19
The Mammoth then erupted for three quick goals. Will Malcom converted a Connor Robinson pass from in close at 4:33, followed by Ben McDonald finishing a Ryan Lee pass at 6:37 to tie the game. Malcom then added another goal for Colorado to grab the lead at 7:33.
Eric Fannel then changed the momentum of the game. Scoring unassisted at 10:49, it opened the door for a Black Bear run. Taggart Clark finished a perfect pass from Jeff Teat from in tight at 12:26, followed by Connor Kearnan on the power-play with a blast off a Reilly O’Connor pass at 14:40.
After three quarters, Ottawa 9 Colorado 7.
Fourth Quarter:
Jeff Teat increased the Ottawa lead being sent in all alone off a Callum Jones pass at 0:25 seconds.
The Mammoth tried to get back in the game with Tyson Gibson blasting a Connor Robinson pass from the outside at 1:29, followed by Ryan Lee’s third of the game off a Will Malcom pass 0:38 seconds later to bring Colorado within one.
Ottawa kept pressing. Connor Kearnan added another power-play goal at 2:37, followed by Jeff Teat with a pinpoint shot to the corner at 4:23.
Eric Fannel scored his second of the game off a Teat feed at 6:33, to put this game out of reach. Then, with only 0:27 seconds left, Travis Longboat deposited a Reilly O’Connor feed into the empty Mammoth net to seal the deal.
Final score, Ottawa 14 Colorado 9.
https://twitter.com/NLL/status/1903922243798712720?t=Tmk8pk_-0NfN3h-lg4pnuA&s=19
The Three Stars:
1. Jeff Teat
2. Zach Higgins
3. Ryan Lee
Game Stats:
- Shots on goal favored Ottawa 53-43.
- The faceoff battle was won by the Black Bears 16-11.
- The loose ball battle went to Ottawa 70-61.
- The Mammoth went 0 for 3 on the power-play, while the Bears went 2 for 4.
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