Colorado’s Dan Carey delivered an over-the-shoulder shot that slipped through the pads of Buffalo goalkeeper Mark Thompson for an 11-10 overtime victory Saturday night before 16,523 at the Pepsi Center.
In a match between the 2006 National Lacrosse League finalists, the defending NLL champion Mammoth (3-0) survived a late defensive skid and erratic offensive execution to tie it with 1:51 left in regulation on a goal by rookie Jason Bloom, and win it 4:17 into overtime on Carey’s blast – his fourth goal of the night.
Following a defense-oriented first half in which the Mammoth trailed 6-4, homegrown forward Mike Law, a Regis High and University of Denver alum, scored short-handed, leaping to catch a pass from rookie Nenad Gajic and burying the ball to draw Colorado within 6-5 as league all-time scoring leader John Tavares nearly shoved him into the net.
Law’s goal, part of a four-goal scoring spree, was followed by rookie Jamie Shewchuk’s first professional goal, a gritty play in which Shewchuk was hit cutting through the slot for a catch-and-shoot that tied it 6-6.
Defender John Gallant, in his return from an opening-night concussion, led defender Matt Leveque for a breakaway, Leveque’s first of the season, to give Colorado the lead, 7-6, early in the fourth quarter.
The ensuing goal by Carey, a second-year forward, was the first perimeter shot the Mammoth put past Thompson.
While many visiting teams fade in the final quarter at altitude, Buffalo (1-2) stormed back, scoring four of the next five goals to gain a 10-9 lead.
