Desperately seeking its first home victory amid a slim playoff heartbeat, the Colorado Mammoth had no answer for Boston’s Dan Dawson, the reigning National Lacrosse League most valuable player.
Expertly employing his patented swim move to get around defenders for clear shots at the net, Dawson scored five goals, including the game-winner, to hand the Mammoth a 9-7 loss on Friday night before 15,104 at the Pepsi Center.
One game remains in the worst season in the eight-year history of the Mammoth, which fell to 4-11, the worst record in the NLL.
“The guys have battled hard the last three weeks and they’ve bought into what we’re doing, but you play for the playoffs and we’re not going to be there,” Mammoth coach Bob Hamley said.
In a bizarre turn, the Mammoth lost a point at halftime.
Initially, the referees waved off a shot that hit the shoulder of Boston goalie Anthony Cosmo and bounced right on the goal line, seemingly trickling over it. Hamley threw the challenge flag, and upon review, the Mammoth was awarded the goal, drawing within 3-2.
The referee told Hamley he was shown the wrong goal to review and after reviewing the correct replay at halftime, he ruled no goal.
The Mammoth offense squandered opportunities, scored on only 2-of-6 power plays, and managed just one shot each on two of those special-teams bonuses.
“Our power play has been atrocious,” Hamley said. “We could have won games just with our power play, and we didn’t do it.”
Boston 2 1 3 3 — 9
Colorado 0 1 3 3 — 7
Boston — Dawson 5 goals-3 assists-8 points, Veltman 1-2-3, Giles 1-2-3, Harnett 1-0-1, Rooney 1-0-1, Queener 0-3-3, Rose 0-1-1, Downing 0-1-1, Hotaling 0-1-1.
Colorado — Prossner 2-1-3; Shewchuk 2-0-2, A. Gajic 1-0-1, Catton 1-0-1, Smith 1-0-1, Langtry 0-2-2, Malawsky 0-2-2, McKay 0-2-2, Richardson 0-1-1.
Goalies — Boston, Cosmo 30 saves; Rose 15 saves; Colorado, Levis, 37 saves.
