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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 60: February 27, 2025
PDF Printable Download: Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Dear Great Falls Americans Enthusiast: I will apologize in advance for the clichés you have heard me say before. One key to success is not allowing the “lows to get you too low” and to allow the “highs to become too high”. With a long season that is bound to have the peaks and 
valleys, maintaining an even keel is paramount to maintaining emotional health. I say this because it would be way too easy to take the highs from last weekend and let them define this team – but we realize there is still a lot of work to do to accomplish what we set out to do. It did make for an interesting post-game celebration, a much more pleasant extra night in Rapid City and bus ride home – not going to lie.
The Americans likely played their best 60-minute team game from the last few seasons on Friday night in their 4-0 win and followed that up with a gritty 4-2 win, after trailing 2-0 after two periods, on Saturday night. Both games provided fast paced playoff intensity for the full 60 minutes and we would have expected nothing less than Badlands coming out Saturday night with a must win approach and intensity. Our squad weathered that storm and used the fact they could not keep up that level of intensity for a full game to grab control of the game during the latter half of the 2nd and 3rd periods. Our best players stepped up, after being challenged by our coaching staff, and scored the goals needed to pick-up the win and better our playoff position.
Kaden Rhyder earned NA3HL Frontier Division “2nd Star of the Week” for his efforts last weekend as he recorded two wins and his 3rd shutout of the season. Kaden currently stands 2nd in the NA3HL in wins, 2nd is saves, 4th in save percentage and 1st in games played. On Friday night, Kaden also surpassed the 2000 save total over the course of his two seasons with the Americans. Congratulations to Kaden who will need to play a critical role in the Americans playoff run.
So, what did this past weekend do for the playoff picture? Although 2nd-5th place are still not solved, it did provide a little separation and wiggle room. Sheridan currently stands in 2nd place with 57 points as they finish with Helena this weekend and then a trip to Badlands to finish the season on March 7th and 8th. The tie-break is also too soon to determine if we were to finish tied with Sheridan. The Americans are currently in 3rd with 56 points and a weekend off before wrapping up with a home-home series with Butte. Badlands sits in 4th with 53 points and the weekend off before hosting Sheridan and Bozeman sits in 5th with 50 points heading into hosting Yellowstone this weekend before a home- home series with Helena. Sheridan has technically clinched a playoff spot as they do own the first tie-break with Badlands if they were to end up tied for 4th and 5th place. There are several different scenarios that could play out – the simplest is we need two points from our final two games to clinch a playoff spot and to guarantee home payoff game(s) sometime between the 13th-16th. You’ll have to stay tuned to our social media channels for more information in the coming weeks.
With no Americans this weekend – you may be looking for something to do and I highly recommend stopping by the Ice Plex to check out the Great Falls Open Figure Skating Competition. They’ll be competing from 8:30 AM-6:30 PM on Saturday and again Sunday morning with over 75 skaters from Montana and beyond – including our local Great Falls Figure Skating Club members. Admission is free, so stop by anytime and cheer on our local athletes as they participate in one of the highlights of their year!
We had our best participation night of Sled Hockey with Eagle Mount Therapeutic Recreation Center this past Monday as Easton DeCampo, Pat Forsythe, Fisher Hannesson and Keegan Hanson stepped in to crate a great experience for the athletes. They are back on the ice this next Monday at 5:45 PM for anyone interested in seeing what Sled Hockey is about and support these amazing individuals who share our passion for the game.
Finally, we have two special promotions in the coming weeks through our Fan Activation partner DASH. Special team signed White and Red Jerseys will go up for auction starting on Saturday morning, March 1st. There is one Home (White) and Away (Red) jersey that will be signed by the 2024-25 Great Falls Americans players and staff auctioned off as part of our Toyota Fan Appreciation Night during our final home game on the 8th. In addition, there will be a limited number of Framed and Signed 8 x 10 Photos available for purchase through DASH starting on the 8th. Scan the QR code below to get activated with DASH and participate in these special promotions.
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Player Profile – #40 Blake Komrofske (Colorado Springs, CO) 5’11” 155 lbs. FOR– Shoots Right DOB 09/27/2005
Favorite Team: Colorado Avalanche Favorite Player: Nathan McKinnon
Favorite Movie: Happy Gilmore Actor/Actress: Adam Sandler
Favorite Food: Steak Favorite Pre-Game Meal: Chicken Alfredo
If you were an animal: A Bear – No predators and can sleep half of the year!
Musical Group You Won’t Miss in Concert: Morgan Wallen
Music Guaranteed to get you hyped: $uicideboy$
Person stuck with on a deserted Island: My Cousin Jaysen
Hobbies other than Hockey: Golf, Video Games.
Three People you would invite to Dinner: My mom and both my Grandpas!
College/University of Choice: University of Iowa
Like Most About Great Falls: The small town and close community.
How would you define a successful season: Winning the Division and making the Fraser Cup!
Here are the upcoming events for you to mark your calendars:
- March 1st and 2nd – Great Falls Figure Skating Club “Great Falls Open” Figure skating competition at the Ice Plex. 8:30 AM-6:30 PM Saturday and 8:30 AM -10:30 AM Sunday – Admission is free!
- 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 13th–16th – First Round of Frontier Division
- March 20th-23rd – Final Round of Frontier Division
- March 26th-30th – Fraser Cup Finals in 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