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BALDY’S PUCK DROP Weekly E-Newsletter (September – March) |
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Baldy’s Puck Drop” Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Volume 24: February 22, 2024
PDF Printable Download: Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Dear Great Falls Americans Enthusiast: I want to quickly acknowledge our two players recognized by the league with Weekly Honorable Mention accolades. Congratulations to Aiden Kennedy and Ty O’Bey. But now it is time to move on and look forward to an exciting weekend.
The playoffs have unofficially started for the Americans with a three-game set versus a scrappy Badlands Sabres squad in Rapid City, South Dakota this weekend. The reality is we do have our work cut out for us – the good news is we do control our own destiny. I will not bore you with all the potential playoff scenarios. The only thing you do need to know is that we must win two of the three games this weekend to keep our playoff hopes alive and that is a challenge that our players and staff are excited to take on. As a quick refresher, we played Badlands four times at home very early in the season and ended up splitting with them. We are certainly a better team then we were in early October and we would have no reason to believe they would also not be better. We did travel there two weeks ago for a single game and won 4-2 with an empty net goal. Now, we have the three-game set with the final playoff spot on the line and Badlands having a little more room for error.
So, I should not have to explain to anyone that we have been treating this series as a playoff series for the last 2- 3 weeks. Unfortunately, we will still be missing a couple of key players (Phil Harrell and Sebe Perez) with season ending injuries. But that is also why we made some of the moves we did to establish some depth and to create the expectation that others will step up and fill their roles. It is an exciting time of the season and a significant reason as to why these kids still are playing the game. They have set their own bar rather high – so time to deliver and let’s see how they respond.
We will head out on the road this morning for the roughly 10-hour drive and then be back in town late Sunday night. Thanks goes out to the
Booster Club for picking up a couple of the meals this weekend and to Vicki Leaf for stocking the bus with healthy snacks. Don’t forget to join other passionate fans at our Official Watch Party at the Stadium Sports Bar and Casino for all three games versus Badlands. Puck drop is 7:05 PM Friday and Saturday and Noon on Sunday.
Continuing to look ahead, next week will also be an exciting week for the Americans as we will have our final regular season home game on Friday the 1st versus Butte. We will use that game for two purposes; first and foremost, it is “Billet Family Appreciation” night and we will also celebrate a “Fan Appreciation Night”. Friday will be our opportunity to honor our very special Billet Families and thank them for all they do during the first intermission. You will learn much more about these special folks in next week’s edition and how important of a role they do play in making our players a part of our family and community. To show appreciation to our fans, we will have raffle giveaways throughout the game and will also discount all merchandise by 30-40% at our store during the game. Finally, we will also launch our fan appreciation Jersey Auction through our partner DASH mid-next week as we auction off both a home White and away Red Jerseys signed by the players and staff. www.winwithdash.com/gfamericans
Player Profile – #36 Noah Van Herik (Tokyo, Japan) 5’10” 170 lbs. Goaltender – Shoots Left
Favorite Team: Washington Capitals Favorite Player: Alex Ovechkin
Favorite Movie: Home Alone Actor/Actress: Margot Robbie
Favorite Food: Chipotle Favorite Pre-Game Meal: Nothing specific
Musical Group You Won’t Miss in Concert: Kanye West
Song or Artist Guaranteed to get you hyped: Crazy Story Part 3
One Item you would bring with you to a deserted Island: Water
Hobbies other than Hockey: Golf, Basketball, Lifting
Three People you would invite to Dinner: Megan Fox, Margot Robbie, Sydney Sweeney
College/University of Choice: Denver University Like Most About Great Falls: The team and the atmosphere!
How would you define a successful season: Winning games and winning the Fraser Cup!
Also, thank you to all our existing Eagle’s Nest, Diamond and Platinum Level partners for their continued support.
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Gold, Silver and Bronze Level Partners
| Century Gaming | Great Falls Hospital & Clinic | Anderson Glass-Door | Point S Tire & Auto Service |
| 2 J’s Complex | Borrie’s Italian Supper Club | Murphy Law Office | Stadium Sports Bar & Casino |
| Heidelberg Lounge | Treasure State Eyecare | Craftmaster Cabinets | Floors and More Abbey Carpets |
| Tuttle Tile | Teriyaki Madness | Central MT Lock & Safe | 3D International Restaurant |
| Jersey Mike’s | Noble’s West Side Liquor | Annie’s Taphouse | Hotel Avron-Celtic Cowboy |
| Scheel’s | Croxford Funeral Home | Big Sky Laboratory | Allstate- Tammy Quintrell-Stubbs |
| All State Signs | Highwood Creek Outfitters | Automotive Machine | She Bare Wax & Sugar Boutique |
| Wheat Montana | Stifel Investment Services | Bigelow Endodontics | Best Western Plus Riverfront Hotel |
| Culligan Water | Best Med Urgent Care | Buffalo Wild Wings | Tilleraas Landscape & Nursery |
| Stockman Bank | SpringHill Suites by Marriott | Central Avenue Meats | Todd Neighbor at Comparion Insurance |
| Fuddrucker’s | Play It Again Sports | The Beacon IceHouse | Nate & Renae Weisenburger |
| Life In Bloom | Camparion Insurance | United Materials | Fox Sports Radio, Q106, 109.9 The Wolf |
| Hampton Inn | Traynor Capital | Bravera Bank | Discount Meats |
| KFBB (SWX) | Cascade Electric |
Thank you for being a part of our family and we look forward to seeing you at the rink.
Matt Leaf
Great Falls Americans HC Inc
MattL.GFAmericans@gmail.com