Portland Falls to NLL Champs, 10-8

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND - The Portland LumberJax took on the defending 2006 National Lacrosse League Champion Colorado Mammoth Thursday in the Rose Garden but came up short, losing 10-8 in front of 7,192 fans.

Portland ’s third-string goalie Dwight Maetche was named the LumberJax Player of the Game for his 36 saves off 44 shots on goal and .818-save percentage.

Maetche relieved starter Dallas Eliuk with 6:51 into the first quarter after Eliuk took a shot to the face.

“I think that the guys did everything we asked them to do tonight,” explained Head Coach and General Manager Derek Keenan during a post game press conference. “We have yet to put all of the aspects of the game together. Once that happens, we will win games.”

Colorado started the game with two quick goals from new addition Jim Moss (0:47) and forward Jamie Shewchuk (1:32) but that would be the visitor’s only goals in the quarter.

After Colorado’s Nenad Gajic was sent to the box for a roughing penalty, LumberJax forward Tyler Heavenor (1G, 2A) scored on an open shot from the outside (3:04), giving Portland their first goal of the night.

After Eliuk’s departure, the Jax immediately felt Maetche’s impact in goal when he saved the first five shots he faced.

Two penalties on both Colorado and the LumberJax forced the teams to play even at four all with neither team scoring for the remainder of the quarter. The low-scoring first quarter ended in a 2-1 Mammoth lead.

After Colorado ’s Dan Carey opened the second quarter with a score (0:31), the newly signed Kelly Hall (3G, 1A) netted his first goal as a Jax player (2:34).

Mammoth forward Brian Langtry would score another goal for Colorado (4:12), giving the Mammoth a two point lead.

After a power play goal from Hall (12:38) and a quick follow up from Ryan Powell (13:03; 1G, 2A), the Jax tied the score, 4-4, heading into the locker room at the half.

With solid play from both Maetche and Colorado goalie Gee Nash through the start of the third, it took six minutes before either team would score again.

The Mammoth netted two successive goals at 6:04 and 7:39 to take a two point lead.

Portland transition player Adam Bysouth (1G) scored his first goal of the night at 8:46 on a breakaway assist from Brodie Merrill (1A).

The Jax felt Hall’s impact on their roster when he netted his third goal of the night (12:01) to tie the game at 6-6.

Mammoth forward Gajic scored his second goal to help Colorado pull away from the Jax 7-6 at the end of the third.

Langtry scored Colorado’s eighth goal (0:53), but the Jax would answer off a power play goal from Del Halladay (1G,1A) at 2:56 and another tally from Peter Morgan (4:43, 1G) to tie the game, 8-8.

Both teams were held scoreless for the next four minutes as Maetche and Nash continued their solid goaltending.

Two more points from Colorado at 8:56 and 9:26 would end the game, giving the Mammoth a 10-8 win.

The Jax head to Rochester , N.Y. on Saturday afternoon to take on the Knighthawks (5-2) in the Blue Cross Memorial Arena.

The game will be televised live on PDX 49 at 4:35 PM PST.

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