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BALDY’S PUCK DROP Weekly E-Newsletter (September – August) |
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Baldy’s Puck Drop” Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Volume 58: February 13, 2025
PDF Printable Download: Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Dear Great Falls Americans Enthusiast: Not much changed in the standings over last weekend as the four teams battling for playoff position all split their series. Two points separates 2nd from 4th place with 5th place Bozeman just 5 points behind, but with games in hand over the teams ahead of them. It should be an interesting weekend as Sheridan plays Gillette, Helena, Bozeman, Butte and the Americans face-off against each other while Badlands and Yellowstone have the weekend off. I told you it was playoff hockey the rest of the way and that is exactly what we have.
We are home versus Helena on Friday night – what a great way to spend Valentine’s Night with that special someone by
coming out and enjoying what should be an intense hockey game. We do have a couple of special things planned as we will be raffling our three special Valentine’s Day prizes off through our lucky programs. Prize #1 is a dozen Red Roses from Life in Bloom Floral and Gift Boutique. Prize #2 is a gift basket with special skin care products and a gift certificate from She Bare Wax & Sugar Boutique while Prize #3 is heart shaped rib-eye steaks from Central Avenue Meats. Be sure to pick up your lucky program for your chance to win.
We are also welcoming back the Great Falls Figure Skating Club as four of their members will be putting on a
special skating exhibition during the first intermission. Emily Weaver, Liv Perry, Serenity Holmes and Charlotte Bowe will be skating to the music of Alicia Keys’ “If I Ain’t Got You”. The group is coached by Jill Ahlbrecht and Stephanie Kazior and has been choreographing and practicing for the last several weeks as they head into a competition this weekend in Helena. Thank you to all the girls for their efforts and for sharing their talents with the Americans fans.
A very special congrats goes out to goalkeeper Kaden Rhyder and forward Ty O’Bey for being selected to represent the Americans at the NA3HL Top Prospects Event at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, next Monday and Tuesday. They will fly out early Sunday morning and will return late Tuesday night after playing in two games for Team Blue. They’ll play at Noon MT on Monday and 10:00 AM MT on Tuesday – both games can be viewed on NAHLTV. The Top Prospects Event is a league sponsored event where players come in from all the teams and play a
couple of game before scouts from the NAHL, NCAA Div III and ACHA schools. It is just another opportunity to expose these players to the next level. The Americans are proud of Ty and Kaden and are confident they will represent their teammates to the highest standard.
Saturday night we head back to Bozeman for a 7:30 PM puck drop. Join us at Buffalo Wild Wings for the official watch party and enjoy some great food and drink while watching the game.
Player Profile – #31 Isaiah Paulnock (Eden Prairie, MN) 6’0” 190 lbs. GK– Shoots Left DOB 10/24/2005
Favorite Team: Minnesota Wild Favorite Player: Carey Price
Favorite Movie: American Sniper Actor/Actress: Denzel Washington
Favorite Food: Steak Favorite Pre-Game Meal: Chicken Rice Bowl
If you were an animal: An Eagle – It would be cool to fly and do all they do!
Musical Group You Won’t Miss in Concert: Coldplay
Music Guaranteed to get you hyped: Remixes
Person stuck with on a deserted Island: My Brother
Hobbies other than Hockey: Golf
Three People you would invite to Dinner: George Washington, Tom Brady, Martin Brodeur
College/University of Choice: University of Minnesota
Like Most About Great Falls: The people and the scenery.
How would you define a successful season: Being able to look back and know that you put in the work and effort while making a serious playoff run.
Here are the upcoming events for you to mark your calendars:
- February 14th – Home Game versus the Helena 7:05 Puck drop. Special Valentine’s Day packages raffled off and welcoming the Great Falls Figure Skating Club special presentation.
- February 15th – Road game versus Bozeman at 7:30 Official Watch Party at Buffalo Wild Wings.
- February 17th and 18th – NA3HL Top Prospects
- February 21st and 22nd – Road games versus Badlands at 7:00 Official Watch Party at Buffalo Wild Wings.
- March 7th – Road game versus Butte at 7:30 Official Watch Party at Buffalo Wild Wings.
- March 8th – Home game versus the Butte 7:05 PM Puck Drop. Billet Appreciation and Fan Appreciation Night presented by Toyota!
- March 12th–16th – First Round of Frontier Division
- March 19th-23rd – Final Round of Frontier Division
- March 26th-30th – Fraser Cup Finals in St. Louis, MO
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 (* new this season)
| 3D International Restaurant and Lounge | All-State Signs | Annie’s Taphouse |
| Comparion Insurance-Todd Neighbor | Automotive Machine | Beacon Ice House |
| Eagle Mount Therapeutic Recreation | Benski Towing & Recovery | Big Sky Harley Davidson* |
| Floors & More Abbey Carpets | Big Sky Laboratory | Bravera Bank |
| Hoglund’s Work & Western Wear | Cascade Electric | Central Avenue Meats |
| Havre Youth Hockey* | Havre Ford* | Independence Bank-Havre* |
| Hotel Arvon-Celtic Cowboy | Central MT Lock & Safe | Century Gaming |
| High Plains Wealth Management* | Patrick Construction* | Shanty Bar-Havre* |
| Life in Bloom Floral & Gift Boutique | Coca-Cola* | Craftmaster Cabinets |
| Montana Air National Guard* | Culligan Water | Ferrin’s Furniture |
| She Bare Wax & Sugar Boutique | Great Falls Hospital | Hampton Inn & Suites |
| Stifel |Finnicum Financial Group | Highwood Creek Outfitters | Jersey Mike’s |
| Tilleraas Landscape & Nursery | Johnson Distributing | Karma Coffee* |
| Red;s Powersports* | Tilleman Motor Co.* | Valley Furniture* |
| Murphy Law | Open Door Wellness* | Play It Again Sports |
| Purvis Chiropractic* | Scheels | STARadio |
| Stockman Bank | TDS Fiber* | Teriyaki Madness |
| Traynor Capital | Visit Great Falls* | Westgate Repair Inc* |
| Mountain Title Company* | Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory* | |
| Morse Construction* | Creative Coffee/Yogurt* |
Thank you for being a part of our hockey family!
Matt Leaf
Great Falls Americans HC Inc
MattL.GFAmericans@gmail.com