HUGE AGAIN IN ARIZONA; MAMMOTH DOWNS STING 15-11

Big games from newcomer Andrew Burkholder and veteran Jay Jalbert, and a dominating third quarter clinched a 15-11 Colorado Mammoth win over the Arizona Sting on Saturday night at the Glendale Arena in suburban Phoenix.

Burkholder, acquired from Rochester at the National Lacrosse League trade deadline on March 14, and Jalbert each scored four goals in a game that vaulted Colorado back into the West Division title race. The Mammoth improved to 6-5 while Arizona fell to 5-5 and the Mammoth now holds the tiebreaker over Arizona with two victories in the three-game season series. The Mammoth beat the Sting 18-17 in an overtime decision on Feb. 3. The teams will meet for the final time of the regular season on April 2 at Pepsi Center in Denver.

“This is the kind of game we needed,” Mammoth general manager Steve Govett said. “Everyone had a part in this win.”

The Mammoth scored on its first possession of the night with Gavin Prout’s shot past Mike Miron, followed quickly by Jalbert’s first goal of the game. Arizona answered with four consecutive goals, all on the power play. Colorado added three more to end the first quarter with a 5-4 lead. Arizona outscored the Mammoth 4-3 in the second with the Sting scoring twice before halftme to tie the game 8-8.

A 5-1 Mammoth run in the third quarter turned the game with Colorado leading for the rest of the night. Burkholder’s second two goals of the night were matched by one each from Jalbert and Ben Prepchuk. Dan Dawson scored the Sting’s only goal of the quarter.

A quiet fourth quarter saw two goals each from Colorado and Arizona and no penalties, in contrast to 14 penalty minutes in the rough-and-tumble first quarter.

Also scoring for the Mammoth were Dan Carey, Tom Ethington and Brian Langtry with one goal each.

Mammoth goaltender Gee Nash recorded the win with 36 saves. Arizona’s Miron had 37 saves and Rob Blasdell one.