Helena blanks Great Falls 2-0 in Game Two

Mar 19, 2014 | News, Uncategorized

By Kevin Scott

GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 19, 2014 — The Helena Bighorns had a big game offensively on Tuesday night in Game One of the AWHL Finals as they defeated the Great Falls Americans 6-1. Game Two on Wednesday night was a different story as both teams came up with great defensive stops throughout the game before Bighorns pulled out a 2-0 victory in front of 626 fans in attendance at the Great Falls Ice Plex.

The Americans defense came up strong as they played one of their better opening periods this year with the exception of the final four seconds when Americans goaltender Evan Hauser failed to stop Helena’s Logan Henne from scoring. Parker Olson and Corbin Belling assisted on the scoring opportunity. Helena out-shot the Americans during the first twenty minutes of action 20-9.

Both starting goaltenders (Alek Lazarski from Helena and Great Falls’ Evan Hauser) did not allow their opponent’s offenses to get anything past them and as a result there was no scoring in the middle period. Defensive stops were a key factor for both of the top two teams in the American West Hockey League. The Bighorns had twice as many shot attempts (35-17) as did the hometown Americans had after the first two periods.

Damon Hanson capitalized on the only successful power play for either team towards the end of the contest for Helena. Theo Campe and John Bonta assisted on the play with 1:59 remaining in the playoff game. Great Falls were unsuccessful in their five power play chances.

Evan Hauser stopped 46 of the 48 shot attempts that he faced against the top-ranked Bighorns. Alek Lazarski swatted away all 32 shots that were taken by the Americans.

Each team finished the night with nine infractions but the Bighorns spent more time in the penalty box (32 minutes) compared to 21 for Great Falls.

NEXT CONTEST: After the series takes Thursday (March 20th) off, Helena will host Great Falls for Game Three of the 2014 AWHL Championship Series on Friday (March 21st) beginning at 7:35 p.m. at the Helena Ice Arena. If Helena doesn’t sweep the Americans, the Americans will host on Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. at the Great Falls Ice Plex.

 

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 Final
Great Falls 0 0 0 0
Helena 1 0 1 2

 

First Period – 1, Helena, Logan Henne (Parker Olson, Corbin Belling), 19:56.

Second Period – NO SCORING

Third Period – 2, Helena, Damon Hanson (power play) (Theo Campe, John Bonta), 18:01.

Shots on Goal – Great Falls 32, Helena 48.

Power-play Opportunities – Great Falls 0-for-5, Helena 1-for-6.

Attendance – 626

Box Score: Helena @ Great Falls

Final Great Falls Iceplex    Wed, Mar 19, 2014 7:00 PM MST
Helena 2 Great Falls 0

 

GAME DETAILS
SCORING SHOTS
1 2 3 TOTALS
Helena 1 0 1 2
Great Falls 0 0 0 0
1 2 3 TOTALS
Helena 20 15 13 48
Great Falls 9 8 15 32

 

POWERPLAYS
Helena 1 – 6 : Great Falls 0 – 5

 

SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Helena – Logan Henne (Parker Olson, Corbin Belling) 19:56
Period 2
(no scoring)
Period 3
Helena – Damon Hanson (power play) (Theo Campe, John Bonta) 18:01
PENALTIES
Period 1
Helena – Brian Skillicorn – (Slashing), 2 MIN, 3:08
Great Falls – Steven Goran – (Hooking), 2 MIN, 15:25
Period 2
Helena – Theo Campe – (Holding), 2 MIN, 10:33
Great Falls – Steven Goran – (Fighting) (Major), 5 MIN, 10:59
Helena – Damon Hanson – (Fighting) (Major), 5 MIN, 10:59
Great Falls – Dylan Garton – (Checking from Behind), 2 MIN, 11:24
Great Falls – Trent Carter – (High Sticking), 2 MIN, 11:46
Helena – Brian Skillicorn – (Tripping), 2 MIN, 14:15
Period 3
Helena – Brian Skillicorn – (Interference), 2 MIN, 2:48
Great Falls – Cody Page – (Slashing), 2 MIN, 7:09
Great Falls – Austin Nottke – (Roughing), 2 MIN, 7:09
Helena – Corbin Belling – (Fighting) (Major), 5 MIN, 7:09
Helena – Corbin Belling – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 MIN, 7:09
Helena – Kyle Blondin – (Cross Checking), 2 MIN, 7:09
Helena – Corbin Belling – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) (Game Ejection), 10 MIN, 7:09
Great Falls – Dylan Garton – (Unsportsmanlike Conduct), 2 MIN, 11:32
Great Falls – Steven Butts – (Interference), 2 MIN, 16:03
Great Falls – Steven Butts – (Checking from Behind), 2 MIN, 19:11

 

 Helena  Great Falls
# NAME G A PTS +/- S PIM
00 , Bench 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Campe, Theo 0 1 1 0 0 2
6 Okada, Nick 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Bonta, John 0 1 1 0 0 0
9 Hanson, Damon 1 0 1 0 0 5
10 Webster, Dylan 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Blondin, Kyle 0 0 0 +1 0 2
16 Olson, Parker 0 1 1 +1 0 0
17 Henne, Logan 1 0 1 +1 0 0
19 Belling, Corbin 0 1 1 +1 0 17
21 Miller, Brandt 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Webber, Ryan 0 0 0 0 0 0
24 Hansson, Sebastian 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 Bratten, Sam 0 0 0 0 0 0
28 Skillicorn, Brian 0 0 0 0 0 6
29 Buckholtz, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 Lazarski, Alek 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 Brihn, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0
39 Mohar, Matt 0 0 0 0 0 0
91 Petersson, John 0 0 0 +1 0 0
94 Baker, Kyle 0 0 0 0 0 0
# NAME G A PTS +/- S PIM
00 , Bench 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Powell, Erik 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Strong, Bridger 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Sartuche, Paul 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Krantz, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Garton, Dylan 0 0 0 -1 0 4
7 Page, Cody 0 0 0 0 0 2
8 Lomax, Lucas 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Goran, Steven 0 0 0 0 0 7
11 Kaercher, Max 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 Butts, Steven 0 0 0 -1 0 4
16 Mese, Zack 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Gatson, Erik 0 0 0 -1 0 0
18 Link, Reed 0 0 0 -1 0 0
19 Carter, Trent 0 0 0 0 0 2
20 Christiaens, Brady 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Stover, Lucas 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 Nottke, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 2
29 Barta, Connor 0 0 0 -1 0 0
30 Hauser, Evan 0 0 0 0 0 0
93 McInnis, Aaron 0 0 0 0 0 0
  GOALIES
NAME DEC Min SHOTS SAVES
31 Alek Lazarski WIN 60:00 32 32
33 Austin Brihn (b)
NAME DEC Min SHOTS SAVES
30 Evan Hauser LOSS 59:33 48 46
1 Erik Powell (b)

 

PENALTY TOTALS
Helena 32 minutes on 8 infractions Great Falls 21 minutes on 9 infractions

 

 

OTHER FACTS
Game Length: 2:23
Attendance: 626

Additional Media Coverage: March 19, 2014: Great Falls Tribune: AWHL Playoffs: Bighorns blank Americans

Additional Media Coverage: March 20, 2014: ABC/FOX Montana (KFBB): Bighorns shutout Americans, Take 2-0 Series Lead