The Vancouver Warriors rebounded from a halftime deficit of 7-4 managing a come-back managing to defeat the Colorado Mammoth on a goal by Delta’s Logan Schuss 44 seconds into O/T for the 11-10 win.
In addition to the game winner, it was his fourth goal of the game in Vancouver’s come from behind win in front of 6,621 fans on what was a tribute to Vancouver’s First Responders Night.
The victory snapped a five (5) game losing streak for the team in which many were describing it as a “crucial victory” moving forward.
Saturday’s First Responders Night honored those local Paramedics and Firefighters as well as Vancouver’s Police Department in a pre-game ceremony.
The Mammoth opened the scoring with Delta’s Eli McLaughlin giving the visitors the early lead at 11:44 in followed by the Mammoth second of the game as Chris wardle extended their lead at 7:44 with Benesch getting the helper.
But Logan Schuss and Jordan McBride put their “big boy shoes” on managing to get the Warriors on the scoreboard with the first at 8:09 with McBride collecting the tying goal at 4:40.
Kyle Killen gave the Mammoth the lead a short 30 seconds later, but it was Schuss who notched the tying goal at 1:05 remaining in the first quarter seeing the teams even after one.
McLaughlin got the Mammoth started in the second collecting his second of the game followed by three more by Mammoth Adams, Lee and Benesch having a commanding lead with 41 seconds remaining in the first half.
With the second coming to an end it was Warriors Tony Malcom who managed to get one past Ward seeing the teams heading to the dressing rooms with the Mammoth leading by a 7-4 score heading to the intermission.
Warriors James Rahe got his only goal of the game getting the Warriors somewhat closer on the board only to see Wardle collect his second of the night at 6:51 giving the Mammoth the 8-5 lead.
Malcom hammered home his second of the game making it 8-6 that saw McBride get his second of the game cutting the Mammoth lead to 8-7 with 5:07 remaining in the third quarter.
Wardle got his third of the game with 2:11 remaining in the third quarter making it a 9-7 game with the third coming to an end.
Warrior’s Mitch Jones opened the scoring in the fourth at 11:59 that saw Mammoth add one, only to have the Warrior’s manage the last three of the quarter sending the game to O/T to declare a winner.
Overtime saw Warriors as Jones hit iron twice before Delta’s Logan Schuss scored an unassisted marker and the game winner, breaking the Warriors losing streak a short 44 seconds in giving the Warriors their first win at home this season.
Shots in the game were 50-44 for the Warriors with Eric Penney stopping 34 of the 44 shots faced, while Mammoth “tender” Dillon Ward was up to 39 saves on the night.
Vancouver now improves to 2-5 on the season, while the Mammoth sit at 1-4 in the Western Division and clearly makes Dan Richardson’s job much easier
The Warriors return home February 16th as they face-off against the defending league champions Saskatchewan Rush for a 7:00 pm face-off.
Three stars:
1) Logan Schuss (Vancouver)
2) Eric Penney (Vancouver)
3) Chris Wardle ( Colorado)
