A rare smattering of boos resounded Friday night at the Pepsi Center, a place where the Mammoth has always known support, even in the occasional bad times.
With those times rapidly rising in frequency, Colorado fell 12-5 to Orlando in a game that wasn’t even that close — three goals in the closing minutes obscured the stark contrast between the Titans, National Lacrosse League runners-up in 2009, and the rebuilding, increasingly injury-prone Mammoth (2-4).
While falling to 0-3 at home — 4-7 over the past two seasons — a franchise that won 37-of-48 home games in its first six seasons has lost the home mystique.
“We have unbelievable fans that stick around and support us through thick and thin,” coach and general manager Steve Govett said. “They can’t be happy about it, and I don’t blame them. I’m not happy about it either.”
While Titans goaltender Matt Vinc was feisty, Colorado was mainly thwarted by the inability to shoot at open spaces and to secure rebounds.
The five goals tied for the lowest total in franchise history, a mark set Jan. 10, 2009.
“We watched tons of film,” Govett said. “We knew where to shoot on him. We can tell them all day long to shoot where we see openings, but they have to execute the shots.”
Orlando 4 2 3 3 — 12
Colorado 0 2 0 3 — 5
Orlando: Powell (3 goals-3 assists-6 points), Boyle 3-3-6, McLellan 2-0-2, Maddalena 1-5-6, Hall 1-4-5, MacLeod 1-0-1, Greer 0-2-2, Merrill 0-1-1, Park 0-1-1, Alrich 0-1-1.
Colorado: Prossner 2-1-3, Conway 1-2-3, I.Gajic 1-0-1, Gill 1-0-1, N.Gajic 0-1-1, Ethington 0-1-1, Murray 0-1-1, Smith 0-1-1.
Goalies: Orlando — Vinc 36 saves, Wagar 1 save. Colorado — Leyshon 2 saves, Levis 26 saves.
