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 |
SHERIDAN, Wyo., February 7, 2025 — The #3 Great Falls Americans (23-12-3-2) traveled to Sheridan, Wyoming on Friday for their final regular season weekend series against the #4 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (23-12-2-1).
After six meetings, Great Falls and Sheridan have earned the split on each of their three-weekend series. Each team is 3-3-0-0 against each other. On the opening night of the 2024-25 NA3HL season on September 6-7, Great Falls fell 4-3 (game story) followed on September 7th with a 3-1 victory (game story) at the Great Falls Ice Plex. A month later, both clubs met in Sheridan, Wyoming where Great Falls topped the Hawks, 5-1 on October 4th (game story) but Sheridan got revenge and defeated the Americans on October 5th, 4-2 (game story). In the fourth and fifth meeting, the Americans hosted the Hawks to end the month of November (29-30), with Great Falls edging Sheridan, 3-2 (game story) on November 29 but Sheridan bested Great Falls, 4-2 on November 30th (game story).
The Sheridan Hawks, under the direction of head coach JJ Santagata, are led by Josh Serino, who leads the NA3HL with 73 points (37 goals, 36 assists) and Vincent Leaf is third in the league with 65 points (26 goals, 39 assists).
Meanwhile, Great Falls is led in scoring and points by Ty O’Bey, who is seventh in the league with 60 points (28 goals, 32 assists). Kaden Rhyder has an 19-8-1 record after 29 contests as the Americans goaltender. He is 17th in the NA3HL with a Goals-Against-Average (GAA) of 2.529.
Great Falls Americans forward Chase Hapka scored in the first and second periods and Ty O’Bey chipped in two assists to lead the #4 Great Falls Americans past the #3 Sheridan (WY) Hawks, 4-2 during a frigid Friday evening at the Whitney Rink in the M&M’s Center in Sheridan, Wyoming. The win by the Americans put them (at least temporarily) in third place while Sheridan goes to the fourth spot in the NA3HL’s Frontier Division standings.
Great Falls and Sheridan each netted one goal each in the first twenty minutes of action. Great Falls took the early lead on a scoring drive by Chase Hapka. The Fargo, North Dakota standout added his 16th goal with 14:46 remaining with a helper from Aiden Kennedy. Elijah Farris from the Hawks evened the score (1-1) with four minutes remaining as Logan Hume and Vlad Zubriichuk collecting the assists. The first period ended with 29 total shots between these two NA3HL clubs.
The visiting Americans broke the tie 12:36 into the second period when Chase Hapka put the puck in the net for the second time as Ty O’Bey and Garren Narvaez added the assists. The home team outshot the Montana team, 20-11 in the period.
John Lang off a pass from Ty O’Bey helped Great Falls stretch their lead to 3-1 with seven minutes remaining in the contest. The Hawks pulled to within one goal (3-2) when Sheridan put the biscuit in the basket. The assists went to Charles Stow and Logan Hume. Before the final buzzer sounded, the Americans ensured the road win on a Sebe Perez goal with 37 seconds remaining. Garren Narvaez, the team leader in assists added his second one of the night for a season total of 33. Zac Orwig also was credited with his 30th assist.
Great Falls ended with 36 shots with 15 coming in the first period. Sheridan finished with 43.
The power play chances, and the penalties were even for both teams. Great Falls and Sheridan each went 1-for-5 on the power play and were each whistled for six minor infractions resulting in 12 minutes spent in the sin bin.
Kaden Rhyder is now 4-2-0-0 against the Hawks this season. The netminder for the Americans, who improved to 19-8-1-0 on the season, made 41 saves. John Simon (32 saves) was denied his eleventh win in the net for Sheridan. Simon (10-7-0-0) has two wins and two losses versus the Americans this season.
FRONTIER DIVISION UPDATE: Zach Vockler and Dawson Wirth teamed up to score four goals to lead the #2 Badlands (SD) Sabres (23-13-4-2) to a convincing 6-1 home victory over the #5 Bozeman Ice Dogs (21-15-1-1). The Sabres led the Ice Dogs 3-1 after the first period and then scored three unanswered goals in the third frame to capture their 23rd victory of the season in Rapid City, South Dakota on Friday night. Spencer Wilkinson stopped the shutout in the first period with his 15th goal of the season for the visitors. Riley Swanson is now 2-0-0-0 as a member of the Sabres after recording a 3-4-0-1 at the start of the season with the NA3HL’s Rochester Grizzlies. Swanson stopped 21 of the 22 shots by Bozeman. Jack Ryan of the Ice Dogs fell to 5-6-0-0 and is now 1-1-0-0 when facing Badlands. Ryan made 30 saves while allowing six goals (Box Score).
SCHEDULE NOTES: Due to the highway between Bozeman, Montana and Billings, Montana being closed (winter road conditions), the #6 Gillette (WY) Wild (17-21-1-0) were unable to make it to Helena, Montana for tonight’s contest against the Helena Bighorns (32-3-1-1). The game will be made up on Sunday, February 9th at 7:05PM (MST) from Helena, Montana. Both teams are still slated to play the first game of the doubleheader on Saturday, February 8 at 7:05PM (MST).
Also, the #7 Butte Irish (15-21-1-2) and the #8 Yellowstone (WY) Quake (1-37-1-0) were supposed to meet in Cody, Wyoming for the first game of their doubleheader weekend but the winter weather prevented the Irish from getting to Cody, Wyoming tonight so tonight’s game will be moved to Sunday, February 9th at 3:00PM (MST) and Saturday’s game (February 8th) will still take place at 7:05PM (MST).
NOTES: Don’t miss the Great Falls Americans Fan Activation through DASH for your chance to win one of three Valentine’s Day packages up for auction. Packages are now live through February 14th.
Package #1: 1 dozen Roses from Life In Bloom Floral and Gift Boutique, 1 box of chocolates, two VIP passes for the Valentine’s Night Game versus Helena, a Valentine’s Red Baldy Hoodie and some other Americans swag with a total value over $150.
Package #2: Skin care products and gift certificate for “Spring Break” Tan from She Bare Wax & Sugar Boutique, two VIP passes for the Valentine’s Night Game versus Helena, a Valentine’s Red Baldy Hoodie and some other Americans swag with a total value over $150.
Package #3: A pair of heart shaped Montana bee rib-eye steaks and some hamburger from Central Avenue Meats, two VIP passes for the Valentine’s Night Game versus Helena, a Valentine’s Red Baldy Hoodie and some other Americans swag with a total value over $150.
All surprises will be delivered in the Great Falls area to your special Valentine by Baldy on Valentine’s Day. Scan the QR code to activate your fandom and take advantage of this unique opportunity to surprise your special Valentine with a package made for them.
Read about all the Americans hockey action in print through the Great Falls Gazette, a newspaper that is published on Sunday, Tuesday, and Friday each week with game recaps written by Kevin Scott, the Great Falls Americans Public Relations/Media Coordinator. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
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, Sebe Perez, Mercer Twomey, Zac Orwig, Cal Laggis and Blayne Jusczak. Click here to learn more about Blayne Jusczak 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.
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.
NEXT CONTEST: Great Falls and Sheridan will play their eighth and final contest against each other on Saturday, February 8th with the puck set to drop at 7:30PM (MST) live from Sheridan, Wyoming at the Whitney Rink in the M&M’s Center. Great Falls has been on the winning side in four of the seven meetings against their Wyoming opponent. NAHLTV will have the streaming coverage.
Great Falls will be at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Friday, February 14th for a Valentine’s Night contest against the #1 Helena Bighorns. The game will start at 7:05PM (MST) from the Great Falls Ice Plex.
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.