Perhaps the clearest illustration of the Colorado Mammoth’s dubious battle Saturday night was its failure to score on a five-minute power play, including two minutes with a two-man advantage.
Or was it the inability to put the ball past goaltender Matt Disher on a rare National Lacrosse League penalty shot?
The fans are keeping the faith — they were 14,566 strong at the Pepsi Center — amid the worst season in the franchise’s eight-year history. With its fifth consecutive loss, 13-9 to Edmonton, the Mammoth fell to 2-7 overall and 0-5 at home.
Mammoth fans are finally over former captain and franchise scoring leader Gavin Prout. Celebrated in his initial return to Denver in January, he was booed 53 seconds into the game when whistled for roughing and sent to the penalty box.
Traded to Rochester and then to Edmonton in a youth movement that brought Ilija Gajic, the No. 2 overall draft pick from the University of Denver, Prout starred — contributing four goals and one assist for the Rush (6-3).
“Of course Gavin is going to play well,” Mammoth GM and coach Steve Govett said. “And he’s going to continue to play well. The trade was about the long-term future of this franchise. It’s not about winning and losing games right now.”
When asked if he has any regrets about trading Prout, Govett said, “Not at all.”
Edmonton 4 4 2 3 — 13
Colorado 1 3 2 3 — 9
Edm. — Ward 3 goals-4 assists-7 points, Prout 4-1-5, Powell 2-0-2, Quinlan 1-1-2, Small 1-1-2, Stevens 1-1-2, Secore 0-5-5, Merrill 0-3-3, Stevens 0-2-2, Disher 0-1-1, Crashley 0-1-1, Suddons 0-1-1, McNish 0-1-1, Hawksbee 0-1-1.
Colo. — A. Gajic 5-1-6, Shewchuk 2-1-3; Langtry 1-4-5, Prossner 1-0-1, Conway 0-4-4, Malawsky 0-2-2, Forsythe 0-1-1, Smith 0-1-1, N. Gajic 0-1-1, Murray 0-1-1.
Goalies —Edm.: Disher 36 saves; Colo.: Levis 8 saves, Leyshon 20 saves.
