NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (above, https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the photo.
By Kevin Scott
| Box Score |
Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
HELENA, Mont., September 20, 2024 — It is NA3HL Frontier Division rivalry week, at least in Great Falls and Helena. The top-seeded Helena Bighorns (5-0-0-0) and the #3 Great Falls Americans (3-2-0-0) battled it out on the ice for the first eight head-to-head meetings this season on Friday in Helena, Montana.
Helena and Great Falls played eight regular season contests against each along with two playoff games during the 2023-24 season with the Bighorns topping the Americans in each game. In March 2024, Great Falls had to face Helena in the 2024 NA3HL Frontier Division Semi-Finals and lost the best-of-three series in two games to end their campaign.
How have both teams done so far this year after a few weeks on the ice? Great Falls went 1-1 to open the season (Sept. 6-7) in early September against the Sheridan (WY) Hawks at home and then won both games (away/home) versus the Bozeman Ice Dogs last week. Meanwhile, the Bighorns blanked the Yellowstone (WY) Quake on the road (Sept. 6-7) in two games and then defeated the Butte Irish in an away and home series handily to remain undefeated.
Great Falls returns fourteen players for Greg Sears’ squad from their 2023-24 season while the Bighorns had ten players back on head coach Damon Hanson’s National Championship team.
The Great Falls Americans fell to the top-ranked Helena Bighorns, 7-1 at Steed Arena during Friday’s NA3HL Frontier Division junior hockey action in the first meeting of the 2024-25 season between these two rivals. Helena was led by a pair of goals from Finn Theriault. Great Falls’ Ty O’Bey recorded his seventh goal in the first period for the visiting Americans.
Great Falls’ Ty O’Bey successfully converted his seventh scoring drive in five games three minutes into the first period for the early advantage. Aiden Kennedy added his sixth assist while newcomer Carson Sears received his first. The Bighorns duo of Trey Pareja and Finn Theriault scored during a two-minute stretch before the first intermission. Pareja’s fifth score went unassisted while Chase Berg and Cai Robinson helped make Theriault’s goal possible. The home team attempted four times (28-7) as many shots as the Americans did during the first twenty minutes.
Marcus Ray, Cam Young, and Jeffrey Hershberger outscored the Americans, 3-0 in the second stanza. Caden Fenstein, Kelton Chadwick, Maddux Hale, G’bari Mayers, Marcus Ray and Austin Uecker gathered the assists for Helena. The Bighorns offense took 50 shots within the first two periods while limited the Americans to 15. Kaden Rhyder (45 saves), the netminder for Great Falls, allowed five goals before being replaced for the final period.
Kale Witt, a first-year goaltender, saw his first action and prevented 11 of 13 shots from getting into the net. Maddux Hale and Finn Theriault chipped in the two scoring plays in the third frame for the top-ranked team in the NA3HL.
Helena’s offense showed why they continue to win by ending their night with 63 shots. Great Falls managed 15 combined shots in the first and second periods to conclude their second road trip with 23.
The rivalry game saw ten power play chances go unanswered. A total of twelve minor penalties occurred in the sixty-minute affair.
Tyler Miller (2-0-0-0) was flawless in the net for the Bighorns over the final two periods. The Bismarck, North Dakota goalie redirected 22 shots. Kaden Rhyder (3-2-0-0) fell for the second time in three weeks. Rhyder’s first setback happened on September 6th home 4-3 loss to the Sheridan (WY Hawks in the first game of the season.
FRONTIER DIVISION UPDATE: The #2 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (4-1-0-0) led the #8 Yellowstone (WY) Quake (0-5-0-0), 2-1 before the first intermission and went on to score three unanswered goals in a 5-1 victory inside Riley Arena in Cody, Wyoming on Friday. Kiefer Dunham, Josh Serino, Vlad Zubriichuk, Derrek Laite and Gavin Elliott each made a goal for the Hawks. Yellowstone’s Jordan Kennedy made the only score for the Quake in the first stanza. Ryan Rainey (1-1-0-0) notched his first win as a member of the Hawks by acquiring 34 saves. Nicolas Ulyanov, who lost for the second time (0-2-0-0) in his first season with the Quake, finished with 55 saves (Box Score).
The #6 Gillette (WY) Wild (1-3-1-0) trailed 2-0 to the #4 Badlands (SD) Sabres (2-1-0-0) after the first period but a trio of Wild players scored to ensure that the Wyoming club would receive their first victory of the season. Max Arlt, Michael Mckernan, and Dylan Peterson each lit up the lamp for Gillette. Tate Cothern (1-1-0-0) stopped for 41 shots in his first win with the Wild after spending the previous two seasons with the Rochester Grizzlies. Hunter Oger (38 saves) fell to 1-1-0-0 on the season (Box Score).
Lex Steckelberg and Devin Bruns combined for four of the five Bozeman Ice Dogs (1-2-0-0) scoring drives as the home team defeated the #5 Butte Irish (2-3-0-0), 5-3 for their first win on Friday evening in Bozeman, Montana. Devin Bruns also assisted on three scoring drives while Steckelberg assisted on two goals. Butte was led by Loghan Weber, Easton Langemo, and Rocco Watson, who each buried the puck in the net. Brett DeVincent (1-1-0-0) accumulated 45 saves in sixty minutes for the host team, who is ranked #5 in the Frontier Division standings. Tim Nanson, who is now 2-1-0-0 in four appearances for the Irish, accrued 24 saves (Box Score).
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. The second episode featured forward Ty O’Bey from Ashland, Wisconsin on September 9th and this week, Easton and Aiden Kennedy, two brothers from Minnesota were on the September 15th episode. Click here to learn more about Easton and Aiden 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: Americans launch their “Sled Hockey Program” with Eagle Mount Therapeutic Recreation on Thursday, September 12th, September 19th and Thursday, September 26th. The ice session starts at 5:00 PM and will involve our players working with these athletes to hone their skills and enjoy the sport. These will run the next three Thursdays before we get into a slightly different schedule in October. We can always use volunteers to assist with equipment and getting players on and off the ice, if available.
Oktoberfest: Since Great Falls is not playing on Friday, September 27th, the team will participate in a Block Party for Oktoberfest in downtown Great Falls that night (4PM-10PM) with Annie’s Taphouse, The Kellergeist, and Tracy’s Family Restaurant. The first block of Central Avenue will be blocked off for an evening of German beer, food, and music along with the Americans players promoting the team and giving all attendees a chance to win prizes.
Click here to view the other upcoming events for the Americans.
NEXT CONTEST: The Great Falls Americans return to the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday, September 21st when they host the defending 2024 NA3HL National Champion, Helena Bighorns with the puck dropping at 7:05PM (MST) live on NAHL TV with Ryan Siders doing the Play-By-Play from Great Falls. Helena and Great Falls will meet for the third time this season on Saturday, September 28th at 7:05PM (MST) from Helena’s Steed Arena on NAHLTV.
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 19, 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 18, 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 15, 2024: Americans Podcast with Jim Quick: Americans standouts Aiden and Easton Kennedy talked hockey with Jim. Click here to listen to all episodes.