Buried at the bottom of the division standings, mired in a losing streak, mystified by an anemic shooting touch, the Colorado Mammoth found itself trailing by five goals Saturday night.
Improbably, the Mammoth scratched back into the National Lacrosse League contest, gaining leads twice in the fourth quarter. Yet it was not to be before a relentlessly supportive Pepsi Center crowd of 15,427, including Robert Dorband, who came through the turnstiles as the 1 millionth fan in franchise history.
In surrendering two goals in the final 97 seconds, Colorado lost 13-12 to the Minnesota Swarm for its fourth consecutive loss.
The Mammoth (2-6) remains winless at home at the halfway point of the season.
“It is disappointing,” veteran forward Brian Langtry said. “We are what we are right now, a young team trying to figure out how to score goals, pick up loose balls and stay out of the penalty box. But I’m not quitting on these guys. No one is quitting in here.”
Langtry, needing one goal to reach the 200-goal career mark, scored a hat trick and had three assists, showing his teammates the way back from a 7-2 deficit.
“Brian Langtry has been the heart and soul of this team for a long time,” Mammoth coach and general manager Steve Govett said.
Despite the distressing nature of the loss, Govett saw positives.
“I think we’re going to look back on this and see it as a turning point in the season,” he said.
Govett added 11-year veteran free agent Derek Malawsky during the week, and his decisive, accurate passing paid dividends with four assists.
“Derek’s going to be really helpful,” Langtry said. “He’s a quarterback out there.”
Langtry started the comeback, scoring on a low shot after a run around a defender, then driving and diving 58 seconds later for another goal.
“It is do or die for me,” he said. “The way I’ve been playing this year, I’ve got to start stepping up or I’ll be watching the game from the crowd. So it was time.”
Minnesota 3 5 1 4 — 13
Colorado 2 3 5 2 — 12
MN — Wilson 3 goals-4 assists-7 points, Campeau 2-3-5, Marohl 1-2-3, Sharp 2-0-2, Benesch 2-2-4, Pollock 1-1-2, Morgan 0-1-1, Thorimbert 1-0-1, Greer 0-2-2.
CO — Langtry 3-3-6, A. Gajic 3-1-4, I. Gajic 3-0-3, Prossner 1-1-2, Smith 1-0-1, Malawsky 0-4-4, Carlson 1-0-1, Shewchuk 0-4-4, Conway 0-3-3, N. Gajic 0-1-1, McKay 0-1-1, Murray 0-1-1.
Goalies — MN, Patterson 38 saves; Croswell 0 saves; CO Levis 31 saves.
