Callum Crawford has always been a good player. He was a second round pick who developed into a star, four times scoring 80 or more points coming into this season. As a free agent signing, he was expected to add some quality depth scoring to a Colorado team that was already potent up front. Crawford has more than fulfilled expectations; he's already within 4 assists and 10 points of his career highs and he's on pace to score 119 points, which would be one of the highest totals in National Lacrosse League history.

But for all that, Saturday may have been the best game of his career because he absolutely took over and willed the Mammoth to a victory in the absence of two of their leading offensive players (John Grant Jr and Jeremy Noble) on a night when Adam Jones just wasn't clicking, against a strong New England team that badly wanted to turn the tables in a rematch of Week 10. More below about just what makes Crawford this week's first star.

It's time to play spot the stars. Can you find the four Mammoth players in this photo who are included in this week's 3 Stars column?

First Star

Callum Crawford, Colorado Mammoth

5 goals, 4 assists

Crawford displayed impressive range in scoring his five goals on five different types of shot Saturday. His first was the goal that he just keeps scoring this year and that you'd expect goalies to be ready for now, but it keeps on working. I'm talking about Crawford's crease jump full twister, on which he jumps over the crease line towards the far side of the net then completely flips his stick over in his wrists to dump it back in the short side.

The second goal came on a jump bounce shot as he rolled across the top of the offensive formation and the third when he spun underneath a defender and flicked the ball just inside the far post as he jumped to avoid the crease line. His fourth was the game winner and an absolute beauty; I wrote about his leap to knock down Evan Kirk's attempted clearing pass in my weekend observations story yesterday. On the fifth, he had some space at the top of the power play and simply stepped into a low to high rocket that blazed in under the crossbar.

Crawford also had a pair of lovely cross-floor passes to set up goals by Eli McLaughlin among his four assists. All in all, Saturday was a tour de force performance by the Mammoth star.

Second Star

Rob Hellyer, Toronto Rock

4 goals, 5 assists

Hellyer also showed some variety, scoring on the run, on the dive and on the outside rip. He made a nifty behind the back flip to Kasey Beirnes for a goal and made a well-timed and well-placed pass up to Stephan Leblanc for Toronto's insurance goal near the end of the game. He's definitely established himself as one of the best righties in the NLL and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Third Star

Dhane Smith, Buffalo Bandits

5 goals, 2 assists

It was strange to see Smith with just a single goal at half time as Buffalo and Georgia were tied 6-6 going into the intermission. He only added one goal in the third quarter and it looked as though the Swarm may have a shot at doing what no one else has been able to do this season—keep Great Dhane under 5 points. That went out the window in the fourth as he put up 5 points in the final quarter alone, including a trio of goals. Smith's even scoring when he misses the net: one of his assists came on a shot that bounded off the back boards to Ryan Benesch to bury.

Honourable Mentions

Rhys Duch (Vancouver): 3g, 4a. Duch hit the 300-goal and 700-point marks Saturday while saving his 400th assist for another celebration (he has 399 now), one he hopes will come in a win against Calgary next week...Kyle Rubisch (Saskatchewan): 1a, 5CTO. Rubisch was the best defender I saw in the four games Saturday. He's been good this year but not necessarily up to the standard that won him the last four defender of the year awards. Saturday he was the beast we've become used to...Ryan Benesch (Buffalo): 3g. 4a. Benesch was just as hot as Smith in the final quarter, scoring 2 goals and 4 assists as the Bandits ran Georgia out of their new hive with a 9-4 fourth...Curtis Dickson (Calgary): 3g, 3a. Tied Dane Dobbie's Roughnecks' record by reaching 51 goals...Mark Matthews (Saskatchewan): 3g, 3a. His last goal came on an unusual quick stick. Adrian Sorichetti threw a low pass that Matthews caught about knee high and redirected past Frankie Scigliano at the same level. Maybe it's a Whitby thing the pair worked out when they were winning the Minto Cup for the Warriors...Frankie Scigliano (Calgary): 37/46, .804 save percentage. Speaking of the big man between the pipes, Scigliano was solid for the Riggers. He shut out the Rush in the third quarter to allow Calgary to climb back into the game...Brodie Merrill (Toronto): 1g, 1a, 4CTO. Merrill played the kind of defence that made him one of the best in the business for so many years and; his play was the catalyst for a shortstaffed Rock back end to hold on and give the O its chance to do enough to win...Cam Holding (Colorado): 2g, 1a. The Michigan State field coach has had a bit of a quiet season but his play spoke volumes with a pair of critical goals in the Mammoth's win over the Black Wolves...Chad Tutton (Georgia): 1g, 3CTO. It might be time to seriously consider Tutton for rookie of the year. The transition player was his usual wrecking ball in his own end and once again chipped in offensively...Shawn Evans (New England): 4g. Actually a bit of an off night by the lofty standards Evans has set, but he was still dangerous from opening whistle to final buzzer...Shayne Jackson (Gerogia): 4g, 1a. Becoming a transition force, he twice did his best Benesch impression coming off the bench to take a pass and slip the ball home... Stephan Leblanc (Toronto): 2g, 4a. Leblanc has hit his stride and playing a physical, effective game for the Rock...Robert Hope (Colorado): 2a, 3CTO. Hope's game is growing as he matures in the NLL. He started out playing solid team D with smart slides and excellent footwork. He's become more aggressive in one-on-one defence. As the game slows down for him, Hope is more adept at jumping out high to eliminate passing and shooting options before they materialize...Randy Staats (Georgia): 2g, 5a. Looked more like he did early in the season when his comfort level on the floor was very high and was rewarded with a 7-point night... Eli McLaughlin (Colorado): 3g, 1a. Nobody was telling McLaughlin he had to take over John Grant's role with Junior out for the game, but the second-year forward knew the Mammoth needed a big effort from him and he delivered. Showed nice chemistry with Crawford...Chad Culp (Buffalo): 2g, 3a. It's a bit of a bonus when Culp chips in with a 5-point night; he always contributes with his scrappiness and work ethic...Robert Church (Saskatchewan): 2g, 3a. His touch pass over a defender to Matthews for the Rush's first goal looked like a quarterback feathering the ball between the linebackers and defensive backs, and it was the kind of play Church makes look easy, even with a defender all over him like Tyson Bell was on the play...Andrew Suitor (New England): 1g, 1CTO. Seeing Suitor able to fly about with the reckless abandon we were used to before his knee injuries is a welcome sight. His goal was a beautiful finish, too, on a perfectly executed three on two break with John Ranagan and Sheldon Burns.