It wasn鈥檛 a sellout like the previous year, but Saturday鈥檚 exhibition tilt was a hit regardless.
鈥淚t was an exciting game,鈥� said Jared Harman, the 91原创 Events Centre鈥檚 director of business development.
鈥淎nytime we can have pro sports or sports of that calibre in 91原创, it is fun for everybody involved.鈥�
More than 4,100 fans were out at the LEC on Dec. 8 to watch the Colorado Mammoth and Calgary Roughnecks battle in National Lacrosse League exhibition play. Last year鈥檚 contest between the Toronto Rock and Washington Stealth was a sell out (5,200 fans).
The game was missing one of the sports鈥� biggest names as John Grant Junior was unable to play because of the flu.
The teams combined for a dozen goals in the opening frame 鈥� six apiece 鈥� before Calgary took control in the second quarter with a 7-1 advantage and never looked back.
The final score was 20-11 for the Roughnecks.
Jeff Shattler and Curtis Dickson scored five goals apiece for the victors, while Jordan McBride led Colorado with four goals.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very dynamic offensively,鈥� said Calgary coach Curt Malawsky on the NLL website.
鈥淲e always have five very good players on the floor; It鈥檚 real tough to defend.
鈥淚f we share the ball and move our feet, then we鈥檙e very successful.鈥�
鈥淚t was a good game, lots of scoring, lots of action,鈥� Harman said.
鈥�(And) it is always fun for us when the building is near capacity.鈥�
Harman sees no reason why the game wouldn鈥檛 be back in 2013.
鈥淲e will have to evaluate it, but I think there will be a good chance of there being a third year of this because it was a success again,鈥� he said.
Miranda Gathercole/91原创 Times
Calgary Roughnecks鈥� Matt Leveque (right) 鈥� who also spends his summers captaining the 91原创 Thunder in the Western Lacrosse Association 鈥� has his helmet knocked off by Colorado鈥檚 John McLure.
