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BUF at SD - Sat. 10pm ET on ESPNews Schedule

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WK
1
Fri, Dec 2
FINAL
Philadelphia
8
Halifax
18
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Vancouver
8
Toronto
19
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
San Diego
15
New York
14
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Albany
11
Buffalo
10
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Rochester
16
Georgia
11
Sat, Dec 3
FINAL
Colorado
6
Saskatchewan
18
WK
2
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL
Las Vegas
11
Panther City
13
Fri, Dec 9
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
12
San Diego
13
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Toronto
7
Rochester
11
Sat, Dec 10
FINAL
Vancouver
9
Calgary
11
WK
3
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
5
Fri, Dec 16
FINAL
Panther City
9
Las Vegas
3
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Buffalo
11
Toronto
8
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Rochester
14
Albany
13
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Philadelphia
13
Georgia
12
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Halifax
20
New York
11
Sat, Dec 17
FINAL
Colorado
12
Panther City
9
WK
5
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
Halifax
13
Buffalo
18
Fri, Dec 30
FINAL
San Diego
17
Calgary
14
Sat, Dec 31
FINAL
Panther City
9
Saskatchewan
11
WK
6
Fri, Jan 6
FINAL
Philadelphia
14
Las Vegas
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Panther City
9
Rochester
17
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Halifax
14
Albany
11
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Buffalo
18
Georgia
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Toronto
15
New York
7
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Calgary
8
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 7
FINAL
Vancouver
11
San Diego
16
WK
7
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Albany
11
Halifax
10
Fri, Jan 13
FINAL/OT
Saskatchewan
10
Colorado
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Halifax
8
Toronto
17
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Panther City
12
Philadelphia
10
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Georgia
9
Buffalo
11
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
San Diego
10
Calgary
14
Sat, Jan 14
FINAL
Las Vegas
16
Vancouver
19
Sun, Jan 15
FINAL
Rochester
11
New York
8
WK
8
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Buffalo
12
Rochester
15
Fri, Jan 20
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
15
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
Toronto
14
Philadelphia
5
Sat, Jan 21
FINAL
New York
16
Albany
10
WK
9
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Rochester
7
Halifax
17
Fri, Jan 27
FINAL
Buffalo
13
Philadelphia
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Buffalo
16
New York
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Las Vegas
10
Saskatchewan
15
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL/OT
Toronto
11
Calgary
10
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
San Diego
13
Colorado
9
Sat, Jan 28
FINAL
Panther City
20
Vancouver
7
WK
10
Fri, Feb 3
FINAL
Georgia
10
Colorado
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL/OT
Calgary
12
Halifax
11
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
New York
14
Toronto
22
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Albany
5
Philadelphia
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Rochester
10
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Panther City
10
San Diego
12
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
14
Vancouver
8
Sat, Feb 4
FINAL
Colorado
8
Las Vegas
13
WK
11
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Toronto
11
Georgia
10
Fri, Feb 10
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
13
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Halifax
14
Rochester
16
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Albany
12
New York
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Vancouver
13
Panther City
14
Sat, Feb 11
FINAL
Colorado
9
Calgary
13
WK
12
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Calgary
14
Vancouver
9
Fri, Feb 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
16
San Diego
11
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Georgia
7
Toronto
16
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
Albany
10
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
12
Buffalo
13
Sat, Feb 18
FINAL
Colorado
7
Panther City
13
Sun, Feb 19
FINAL
New York
12
Halifax
13
WK
13
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Panther City
12
Colorado
14
Fri, Feb 24
FINAL
Calgary
9
Las Vegas
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL/OT
New York
10
Rochester
11
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Albany
4
Georgia
20
Sat, Feb 25
FINAL
Vancouver
16
Saskatchewan
12
WK
14
Fri, Mar 3
FINAL
Buffalo
10
Halifax
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
New York
12
Philadelphia
19
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Las Vegas
12
San Diego
15
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Rochester
8
Toronto
9
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL/OT
Georgia
9
Albany
8
Sat, Mar 4
FINAL
Saskatchewan
10
Panther City
16
Mon, Mar 6
FINAL
Toronto
10
Philadelphia
11
WK
15
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL/OT
Halifax
9
Buffalo
10
Fri, Mar 10
FINAL
Calgary
16
Colorado
10
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Albany
6
Toronto
12
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Philadelphia
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
San Diego
12
Saskatchewan
11
Sat, Mar 11
FINAL
Vancouver
14
Las Vegas
5
Sun, Mar 12
FINAL
Rochester
19
Georgia
18
WK
16
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
Saskatchewan
6
Calgary
11
Fri, Mar 17
FINAL
San Diego
16
Vancouver
9
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Georgia
13
Philadelphia
12
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Toronto
12
Halifax
14
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Albany
10
New York
13
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Colorado
13
Buffalo
8
Sat, Mar 18
FINAL
Las Vegas
8
Panther City
11
Sun, Mar 19
FINAL/OT
Philadelphia
9
Rochester
8
WK
17
Fri, Mar 24
20:30:00
San Diego
Panther City
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Toronto
Albany
Sat, Mar 25
19:00:00
Halifax
Philadelphia
Sat, Mar 25
19:30:00
Georgia
New York
Sat, Mar 25
21:30:00
Calgary
Saskatchewan
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Buffalo
San Diego
Sat, Mar 25
22:00:00
Colorado
Vancouver
Sat, Mar 25
22:30:00
Rochester
Las Vegas
WK
18
Fri, Mar 31
19:00:00
New York
Georgia
Fri, Mar 31
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Colorado
Fri, Mar 31
22:00:00
Calgary
San Diego
Sat, Apr 1
19:00:00
Buffalo
Toronto
Sat, Apr 1
20:00:00
Albany
Panther City
Sat, Apr 1
21:30:00
Vancouver
Saskatchewan
Sun, Apr 2
13:00:00
Georgia
Halifax
Sun, Apr 2
18:00:00
Rochester
Philadelphia
WK
19
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Albany
Rochester
Sat, Apr 8
19:00:00
Saskatchewan
Georgia
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Panther City
Calgary
Sat, Apr 8
21:00:00
Vancouver
Colorado
Sat, Apr 8
22:30:00
San Diego
Las Vegas
WK
20
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
Las Vegas
Calgary
Fri, Apr 14
21:00:00
San Diego
Colorado
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Toronto
Sat, Apr 15
19:00:00
Georgia
Albany
Sat, Apr 15
19:30:00
New York
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 15
21:30:00
Halifax
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 15
22:00:00
Panther City
Vancouver
WK
21
Fri, Apr 21
20:30:00
Calgary
Panther City
Sat, Apr 22
18:00:00
New York
Halifax
Sat, Apr 22
19:00:00
Georgia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 22
20:00:00
Toronto
Buffalo
Sat, Apr 22
21:30:00
Colorado
Saskatchewan
Sat, Apr 22
22:00:00
Las Vegas
San Diego
Sun, Apr 23
15:00:00
Philadelphia
Albany
WK
22
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Philadelphia
Rochester
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Buffalo
Albany
Sat, Apr 29
19:00:00
Halifax
Georgia
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
Colorado
San Diego
Sat, Apr 29
22:00:00
New York
Vancouver
Sat, Apr 29
22:30:00
Saskatchewan
Las Vegas
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Stories/Op-Ed

Balanced Mammoth Are Poised to Intimidate the Opposition

Have nine minutes ever felt like 636 days to you? If you ask any Colorado Mammoth or Georgia Swarm players, they might jokingly say, ‘yes.’

If the over a year and a half span between games wasn’t enough to build up rust on the player’s proverbial wheels, a nearly nine-minute, unexpected game stoppage just 57 seconds into this past weekend’s cross-divisional matchup featuring the Mammoth and the Swarm didn’t help them scrub it off.

The opening moments of last Saturday night’s game didn’t shine the Mammoth in the best light. Following a disjointed offensive set in which the Mammoth couldn’t produce a shot on goal, the defense allowed the Swarm to find an opening and put the first point of the night on the board.

However, after about 6 minutes of actual game time, it was as if a switched flicked, and the Mammoth were off and rolling. Despite being down a man, one of the Mammoth’s newest and most promising new players and former member of the Swarm, Zed Williams, found the back of the net with 8:25 left in the first quarter. 27 seconds later, Ryan Lee flew across the crease to put the Mammoth ahead. From that point on, the Mammoth would never again relinquish the lead.

When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read: Colorado 16, Georgia 11. The Mammoth had comfortably (and successfully) completed their first of at least 18 missions this season. And, in the process, put the rest of the league on notice.

Following the team’s impressive victory, the always-focused and grounded Head Coach of the Mammoth, Pat Coyle, expressed joy over the result but maintained that this season is only just beginning.

“We kept our winning streak; I believe that’s four games in a row after finishing last year with three straight wins,” Coyle said. “Really though, if you’re going to start the season, it’s nice to start with a win. But, I think any takeaways need to be taken with a grain of salt. It was really nice to see some good things happening out there, but we need to temper our expectations.”

As cautious as Coyle and the Mammoth were to pat themselves on the back too much, there was plenty to be impressed with.

Offensively, scoring 16 goals is quite a feat, especially for this franchise. Since the Mammoth’s inaugural season in 2003, the club has only tallied 16 (or more) goals in 32 games. Furthermore, 8 different players (7 forwards and 1 transition player) scored a goal, while 12 different players tallied points (2 transition players, 2 defensemen, and goaltender, Dillon Ward).

As Ryan Lee, the team’s leading scorer after Week 1, put it, there are still many kinks to work out for the team to be satisfied with offense.

“We didn’t really know what to expect coming into this first game because we have a lot of new guys on offense,” Lee said. “We all worked together, but we have a lot to work on going forward…It was definitely a good start, but there’s still tons to work on.”

Lee attributed many of the improvements to the new offensive system that has been put in place by the Mammoth’s new Offensive Coordinator, Jason Bishop.

“We had a good training camp for four or five weekends,” Lee said. “We’ve been working a lot on the offensive sets that we put in with [Bishop], and it translates pretty nicely to the actual game.”

But all the love shouldn’t go to the offense. Holding the lead for a majority of a game is no simple task. The Mammoth have long been known in the NLL as a defensive powerhouse, and there’s a reason for that: the back end has grown as a unit for many years.

Led by Ward between the pipes since 2014, he’s been aided by very capable defensive-minded veterans of the club, including Josh Sullivan, Jordan Gilles, transition player Joey Cupido and defenseman Robert Hope. They have all played together since 2016.

Hope emphasized the importance of the experienced back end to the team’s goal of winning. He too, though, felt that more could’ve been done to shut down the Swarm offense.

“We have a very veteran roster on the back end,” hope said. “We have a bunch of guys who have a lot of experience in our system and we’re making some adjustments for some of the guys we brought in. The more that we play, the more we practice, the more we grow as a team, the better we’re going to be.”

One of the most notable defensive “mistakes” was allowing the Swarm to string together three goals in a row in the fourth quarter after the Mammoth had extended their lead to 15-8. The team admits that they took their foot off that pedal and that it will be important in the future to play a full 60-minutes.

Had the Mammoth played the full-60 that they wanted to to hold the Swarm to just eight goals, it would have been the 24th time in the Ward-era that this defensive juggernaut held their opponent to eight or fewer goals. Continuing on that thought, it would have been the first time since 2007 that the Mammoth scored the 16 goals and held their opponent to eight or fewer goals.

It may be one game out of 18, but there are few ways a team can make their mark on this new NLL season. The Mammoth hope they can continue to improve, so they can shake things up this postseason – as is always the goal.

The Mammoth have made the postseason every year since they missed out in 2010, but they have not competed in the championship match since they won it all back in 2006, when Coyle was a player on the Mammoth.

Now, it hasn’t been that long since Coyle has felt like one of the Mammoth rosters was this balanced, but he and the coaching staff feel confident that the pieces are there now to scare their opponents anywhere on the floor.

“I think we feel pretty comfortable with the core that we have right now,” Coyle said. “We always felt we were good [on offense], we felt good on the right side, we felt good on the left side, but we want to be better than that. We wanted to be intimidating on both sides of the floor, and now it feels like we are.”

NLL