Dan Carey is slight by NLL standards at 5-feet-11 and 180 pounds, lacking in speed and strength and yet exceptional in terms of stick-handling, floor vision and composure. The latest in a line of Peterborough, Ontario-produced box lacrosse players, the Mammoth rookie has proved he can score but is an even better passer.
Just six games into the 16-game season, Carey has 20 assists and is on pace to break the Mammoth rookie record of 34 assists set by Brian Langtry in 2003.
The reigning National Lacrosse League rookie of the week had seven assists and one goal in Colorado’s 18-17 overtime victory Friday over NLL West Division leader Arizona. Carey repeatedly whipped the ball cross-floor to teammates near the crease.
With 28 points, including eight goals, Carey ranks second on the Mammoth in scoring and sixth in the NLL.
Carey, a left-hander, is similar in size, speed and stick-handling to right-hander Gavin Prout, a two-time all-pro who became the Mammoth career assist leader last weekend with seven assists, passing Gary Gait (128) in a Colorado uniform.
“He’s our left-handed offensive leader,” said Gait, the Mammoth coach. “I expect him only to get better.”
Scoop reaches 2,000
Toronto defender Jim Veltman surpassed the 2,000 milestone for loose balls. A 14-year veteran known as “Scoop,” Veltman has led the NLL in loose balls every season. He has 86 this season, followed by Colorado’s Jay Jalbert with 59.
“He’s definitely the best groundball guy to ever play the game,” Jalbert said. “It’s a stat that doesn’t show up in the newspapers the next day, but it’s important.”
Securing the ball while being drilled requires toughness, and injuries are common. Jalbert’s knee was bloodied in a recent game.
“You don’t even notice until after the game in the shower,” he said.
Footnotes
Langtry’s whipping, high-to-low shot was the winning shot against Arizona, marking his second game-winner this season and fifth since the Mammoth originated in 2003. It left the Mammoth at 3-3, tied with Calgary for second in the NLL West. … Of the nine goals scored by Arizona’s Craig Conn against the Mammoth, five were netted after he received six stitches on his face. With his eight-goal night, Conn moved into second in the NLL with 16 goals. The previous NLL player to score at least eight goals in a game was Rochester’s John Grant Jr., who scored nine against Philadelphia in an overtime game on Feb. 18, 2005. The single-game record of 10 goals is held by Paul and Gary Gait. Paul set it in 1994; Gary tied it in 1999. … Gee Nash started in goal against Arizona and was pulled at halftime with the score tied 7-7 and replaced with Chris Levis. Gait said Wednesday that Nash is his starting goaltender and will probably start Saturday against San Jose when the Mammoth returns to the Pepsi Center after a four-week absence. … Mammoth franchise player Dan Stroup broke out against Arizona for a team-leading five goals. Stroup was scoreless in Colorado’s first two games and was benched for the third game. He scored a hat trick in the fourth game and one goal in the fifth game. … Gewas Schindler scored a goal with an assist in his Mammoth debut after only one practice with teammates. “I thought he did a nice job,” Gait said. “I’m looking for him to improve as he knows the players a little better.” … Defending champion Toronto is 2-4 after an 0-4 start. … Rochester is leading the Eastern Division at 4-1 behind Grant Jr.’s league-leading 19 goals. Colorado is the only team that has defeated the Knighthawks.
