NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the above photo.
By Kevin Scott
| Box Score |
Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
HELENA, Mont., September 28, 2024 — Entering Saturday’s game, the #4 Great Falls Americans (4-3-0-0) and the #2 Helena Bighorns (6-1-0-0) each have won one game in their two head-to-head meetings.
Helena won 7-1 over Great Falls in their first encounter on September 20th in Helena, Montana. Finn Theriault (two goals) led the Bighorns while Ty O’Bey scored for the Americans (game story).
The Americans played in front of their home fans on September 21st when they edged the Bighorns, 3-2. Eason Kennedy, Sebe Perez and Cal Laggis accounted for the scores for Great Falls. Finn Theriault made both goals for the visiting team (game story).
Who would come out on top of Saturday’s primetime contest between these two interstate rivals?
Helena Bighorns forward Kade Pareja scored two of this three goals before the third period to lead the Helena Bighorns to a 6-2 NA3HL junior hockey win over the Great Falls Americans on Saturday evening in Helena, Montana. Americans forward Easton Kennedy score two third period goals to prevent the shutout by the Bighorns.
Austin Uecker and Kade Pareja each scored near the end of the first frame as Helena took a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes of action on the ice. Jeffrey Hershberger, Finn Theriault, and Kelton Chadwick tacked on the assists. Both squads combined for 20 shots-on-goal.
Owen Gruener and Kade Pareja increased the lead to 4-0 after the first intermission for the host team. Garrett Lindsey and Hunter Coulombe assisted on Gruener’s tally 68 seconds into the second stanza. Finn Theriault’s pass to Pareja for the goal gave him his second of three assists on the night.
Great Falls got their first goals of the game in the third period as Easton Kennedy added his fifth and sixth goals of the season within the first four minutes of the final period. Zac Orwig, Garren Narvaez, Easton Delcamp and Cal Laggis provided the assists. Kade Pareja scored his third goal for a hat trick while teammate Garrett Lindsey chipped in his first scoring drive for the winning team.
The Bighorns of head coach Damon Hanson made 27 of their 39 shots-on-goal before the third period. Great Falls finished with 18 shots.
Pareja’s first and second period goals were successfully made with Great Falls in the sin bin. The Americans went 0-for-5 on the power play. The sixty minute rivalry game saw 12 combined penalties.
Malik Johnson, who saw action for the Bighorns last season, is now 3-0-0-0 with his first win of the season against Great Falls. The Missouri netminder ended the game with 16 saves. Kale Witt made his second appearance in the net for the Americans. Witt (0-1-0-0), who is one of four players from Minnesota on the roster, swatted away 33 shots.
FRONTIER DIVISION UPDATE: The #1 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (6-1-1-0) and the #5 Badlands (SD) Sabres (3-2-1-0) each registered three regulation goals to force a five-minute overtime. Charlie Lorbiecki of Badlands scored his first goal of the season for the Sabres with ten seconds left in the extra period to lift the Sabres to the 4-3 victory for their third win of the 2024-25 season. Charlie Lorbiecki (Badlands) and Josh Serino (Sheridan) led their respective teams with one goal and one assist apiece. Lochlin Jackson (1-0-1-0) had 25 saves as the winning goaltender for Badlands. TJ Wonnacott fell to 1-0-1-0 on the season for the Hawks (Box Score).
Dylan Peterson and Christopher Lang each scored two goals to lead the #3 Gillette (WY) Wild (4-3-1-0) to an easy 8-2 win on the road over the #8 Yellowstone (WY) Quake, who are still seeking their first win (0-8-0-0). Gillette outshot Yellowstone, 68-37. Yellowstone received third period scores from Travis Lindsey and Cody Cram. Noah Hacker (35 saves) improves his record, 1-1-1-0 in his third game for the Wild. Matthew Neeser lost his second contest against the Wild and fifth overall (0-5-0-0) despite a 60 save performance in Saturday’s setback (Box Score).
The #6 Bozeman Ice Dogs (3-2-0-0) led the #7 Butte Irish (2-5-0-0) 4-0 after the first period and never looked back as they defeated their rivals, 9-1 on Saturday in Bozeman, Montana. Eight different scorers lit up the lamp for the Ice Dogs (Andrew Kaunas, Tyler Klingbeil, Brady Sisto, Devin Bruns, Lex Steckelberg, Sage Courchese, Barrett Becker, and Jue Edgerton). Klingbeil registered two scoring drives. Weston Villers made the lone second period goal for Butte. Brett DeVincent (2-1-0-0) added another win to his resume by preventing 41 shots from getting by him. Butte’s Logan Hunter suffered his first loss (0-1-0-0) in two appearances (Box Score).
NOTES: The Great Falls Americans Booster Club is raffling off “RTIC’ Coolers with three different prizes.
FIRST PRIZE: 52 Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled Cooler with freezable divider, 30 can soft pack cooler, large ultra tough tote, (4) 30 oz. tumblers, and Meat Package from Central Avenue Meats.
SECOND PRIZE: 32 Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled Cooler with freezable divider, 20 can soft pack cooler, small ultra tough tote, (2) 30 oz. tumblers, and Meat Package from Central Avenue Meats.
THIRD PRIZE: 22 Quart Ultra-Light Wheeled Cooler, 12 can soft pack cooler, small ultra tough tote, (2) 30 oz. tumblers, and 10 lbs. of burger from Central Avenue Meats.
The drawing will be held at the October 25th home game against the Butte Irish and you don’t have to be present to win. All proceeds go to the Great Falls Americans hockey team.
Contact Adam Stanczak for tickets at 406-564-6771.
Season Two of the “Americans Podcast with Jim Quick” premiered on September 5, 2024, with his first guest of the season, Cole Molaski, a forward from Suamico, Wisconsin, who is in his first season with Great Falls. Other players featured this season include Ty O’Bey, Easton and Aiden Kennedy and this week’s episode has Sebe Perez. Click here to learn more about Sebe Perez on the official podcast of the Great Falls Americans. Each podcast will feature one American player as we get to know the team this season. Jim completed 13 episodes during his first season. Fans can listen to the full podcasts from Seasons One and Two by clicking here.
560AM KMON Weekly Radio Interview with Coach Greg Sears: Join KMON Radio Sports Director “Baker Bob” McNamee every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings during the 2024-25 season with Great Falls Americans Head Coach and General Manager, Greg Sears as he talks about the Americans. The Weekly Radio interview on 560AM KMON in Great Falls can be heard locally every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday mornings during the Hourly Sports Report (6:15AM (MST), 7:15AM (MST), and 8:15AM (MST) live. Click here to listen to the current and previous radio interviews.
AMERICANS PHOTOGRAPHER: Look for game photos from all of the home games from Michael Noel, the Americans Official Photographer by clicking here.
AMERICANS E-NEWSLETTERS: The Americans have two email newsletters for fans to receive in their inbox this season. Kevin Scott, the Americans Media Coordinator, has an Americans E-Newsletter that you can get on Sunday’s during the regular season filled with game summaries, press releases, links, schedule, etc. Click here to subscribe (if you haven’t already).
Americans Owner Matt Leaf creates and sends out a weekly email called “Baldy’s Puck Drop” that features team news, player profile, sponsor information and lots of other tidbits relating to Americans hockey that is published on Thursday mornings. Click here to receive the weekly newsletter (if you haven’t already).
NA3HL MOBILE APP: If you haven’t already, download the NA3HL App available at the App Store and Google Play. Fans can set your favorite team to the Great Falls Americans today and stay up to date with the NA3HL. Click here to download from the App Store (Apple) or click here to download from the Google Play Store (Android).
2024-25 PHOTOS: Check out all the Americans photos throughout the season including some taken by Americans photographer, Michael Noel and Gentle Thug Media’s Tim Ljunggren. Click here to view all the photos from the 2024-25 season.
AMERICANS TEAM STORE: Click here to view the Americans online team store that features a variety of different souvenirs to purchase. A store is available at all home games. AMERICANS GAME TICKETS ONLINE: Fans can also buy game day tickets on the website prior to the game by clicking here.
Please check out the Americans website at www.greatfallsamericans.com for all your updated news, game summaries, rosters, photo galleries, etc.
UPCOMING EVENTS: “Eat Wings, Raise Funds” Event at Buffalo Wild Wings on Wednesday , October 2nd. Fans can help support the GF Americans Booster Club by looking for coupons for Buffalo Wild Wings with 15% of all food sales from 4PM-9PM will be donated to the Booster Club for special events and resources.
FORMER AMERICANS PLAYER/NHL PLAYER PATRICK DWYER INDUCTED INTO CMR HALL OF FAME: Thursday, October 3rd: See former Great Falls American player, Patrick Dwyer, the only player in Montana to suit up for an NHL team, get inducted into the CMR High School Hall of Fame on the first Thursday of October at 6:00PM at the CMR Fieldhouse. The CMR football team hosts Billings Skyview at 7:00PM at Memorial Stadium on Friday, October 4, 2024, for the homecoming game.
Oktoberfest at Malmstrom AFB: The Americans will be at Malmstrom Air Force Base for their Oktoberfest on Friday, October 4th from 4PM-7PM. Join the Americans along with the Airmen and women from the local Air Force Base for great German food, music and beer as the hockey team exposes them to hockey.
Click here to view the other upcoming events for the Americans.
NEXT CONTEST: Before the Americans return to the Great Falls Ice Plex on October 11-12th, they will be facing a road test when they travel to Sheridan, Wyoming for a two-game series against the #2 Sheridan Hawks. The two games (October 4-5) can be seen on NAHLTV with the puck dropping each night at 7:30PM (MST).
P. Gibson’s Sports Grill and Casino (1600 Fox Farm Road) is the place to be after Friday and Saturday night home games where the Americans invite their fans and supporters to their post-game dinner.
Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 17 Northwest Bypass in Great Falls, hosts the “Americans Watch Party” this season when the Americans are on the road. Fans are invited to get food and drinks and watch the game.
NAHLTV is the NA3HL’s new streaming platform and is the place to catch all the action for fans that are unable to attend the home and away games this season. Click here to learn more about how to view any of the Americans home and away contests.
Click here for the 2024-25 Great Falls Americans schedule and results.
Additional Media Coverage: September 26, 2024: Baldy’s Puck Drop: Weekly Americans Newsletter by Team Owner, Matt Leaf, Volume 35. Click here to view the newsletter.
Additional Media Coverage: September 25, 2024: 560AM KMON: Weekly Radio Interview by KMON’s “Baker Bob” McNamee with Great Falls Americans Head Coach Greg Sears every week. Click here to listen to the full interviews.
Additional Media Coverage: September 23, 2024: Americans Podcast with Jim Quick: Americans standout Sebe Perez talked hockey with Jim. Click here to listen to all episodes.