NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (above, https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the photos.

By Kevin Scott

Box Score

Score Sheet

League Scoreboard

Americans Team Statistics

GREAT FALLS, Mont.., November 28, 2025 — The Americans hope you had an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day!! Now onto hockey as the Great Falls Americans (14-8-1-1) hosted their rivals, the Helena Bighorns (15-6-1-0) on Black Friday (November 28).

Fans tonight that were not able to make it, got a FREE PREVIEW of NATV as no subscription was need to view the stream tonight as part of NA3HL/NAHL Black Friday promotion.

When these two hockey teams played against each other on September 27th in Great Falls, the Bighorns were in second place (now in third place) but Great Falls was in sixth place and since then went 12-3-1-0 over their last 16 games and have climbined up the Frontier Division standings to second place behind the Sheridan (WY) Hawks.

Great Falls is 1-2-0-1 versus the BIghorns this season with two head-to-head matchups remaining after tonight. Check out the Schedule/results webpage on the Americans official website (www.greatfallsamericans.com) to see the game summaries of all the game completed so far including their rivalry with Helena. 

Prior to the game, Kurt Mueller performed the National Anthem via the trumpet.

The Great Falls Americans held a 3-0 advantage after one period but the Helena Bighorns offense outscored their opponents, 7-1 over the final two periods for a 7-4 decision during Blue Cross Blue Shield Night at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Friday evening. Caden Feinstein (Helena) scored two goals and dished out one assist while AJ Prioli was one goal short of a hat trick (two goals) for Great Falls. 

Great Falls jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period during a five-minute scoring spree led by Jaxon Savage, Ethan Miller and AJ  Prioli’s goals. Savage, one of four Canadians on the Americans roster, gathered his fifth goal with help from Fisher Hannesson and Wyatt Rust for the first goal with nine minutes remaining. Three minutes later, Ethan Miller’s shot hit the post and the puck bounced into the net while the Bighorns were in the penalty box. Gordon Jennings and Cooper Clouse each provided an assist on the Americans second scoring drive of the contest. AJ Prioli scored a few feet from the goal for his sixth goal of the season. The tally was assisted by Cooper Clouse and Ethan Miller with 3:45 left on the clock before the first intermission. Both NA3HL clubs combined for 20 shots-on-goal. 

Helena rallied to score three unanswered goals. Braden Davis got his team on the scoreboard with his first score of the season off a pass from Lincoln Kearney to cut the visiting team’s deficit, 3-1. The power play scoring drive came with 8:30 left in the middle period. Mason Blair, a defenseman from Missoula, Montana, pulled the Bighorns to within one goal (3-2) with under two minutes remaining with Fischer Nicolet and Warren Ryser assisting. Caden Feinstein netted his eighth goal of the 2025-26 season to even the score (3-3) before the second intermission. Cal Kellenberg and Lincoln Kearney each capitalized on a power play opportunity when they found Feinstein open for the score.  

During the first seven minutes of the third period, Great Falls and Helena each traded goals. The Bighorns took their first lead of the contest with a second goal by Caden Feinstein with assistance from Blake Chapman and Lincoln Kearney with 14:14 left in regulation. Great Falls trailed 4-3 for 17 seconds before they tied the game on a AJ Prioli score. Cooper Clouse and Gordon Jennings accrued the assists. Both scoring opportunities happened while the opposing team was in the sin bin. The Bighorns closed out the game by outscoring Great Falls, 3-0 over the final eight minutes. Clint Isakson and Cameron Kimmerly each put the biscuit in the basket. Jakob Ryser and Joe Viox picked up the assists on the Isakson’s scoring drive while Ty Schell and Caden Feinstein assisted on the  Kimmerly goal, The Americans took out their goaltender to get another skater on the ice with 1:34 left. Joe Viox took advantage and successfully got the open net score seven seconds later for the Bighorns seventh goal.

The Bighorns took 21 of their 35 shots-on-goal during the middle stanza. Great Falls accumulated 24 shots with 19 coming before the second intermission. 

Six of the eleven total goals were made through successful power play opportunities. Helena finished 4-for-6 with Caden Feinstein scoring both of his lamplighters and Braden Davis and Cameron Kimmerly also getting the puck in the net with the Americans down a man. Ethan Miller’s first period goal and AJ Prioli’s third period goals came while the visiting team was in the sin bin as the Americans went 2-for-5.

Caden Feinstein led the Bighorns with two goals and one assist while teammate Lincoln Kearney added three assists. Meanwhile, AJ Prioli scored one goal in the first and third frames and Cooper Clouse registered three assists and Gordon Jennings had two for the host team. 

Andrew Blake (Helena) is now 8-3-1-0 including two wins over Great Falls this season. The Minnesota netminder stopped 20 of 24 shots sent his way. Cole Murphy had nine saves in the first period and ended the game with 29. Murphy is now 6-3-1-0 on the season after eleven appearances and 1-3-0-0 against their rivals. 

NOTES: In recent weeks, the Americans have helped the Great Falls Optimist Club with unloading Christmas trees for them to sell at their Christmas sale and players Fisher Hannesson, Jase Troyer, and Gavin Denis along with Riley Hattan participated in the Special Olympics of Montana Polar Plunge program at Lincoln Elementary in Great Falls. This week, they will be at Sacajawea Elementary for their Polar Plunge program. 

Americans goaltender Cole Murphy received “3rd Star” Frontier Division Star of the Week honors from his performance last week at home against the Yellowstone Quake. He dominated the Quake in the net by stopping all 27 shots with the Americans prevailing 5-0 on Saturday, November 22nd. 

The Americans have three upcoming DASH activations including the Military Jersey Auction and the Russell Country Federal Credit Union’s “Jersey Off Our Back” night with the proceeds going to the Josh Huestis Foundation, a local non-profit that supports youth programs. Josh was a former C.M. Russell High School (Great Falls) basketball player and Stanford University graduate who spent time playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Oklahoma CIty Thunder. Use the QR Code on the right to get activated with these auctions. The Americans will also be having a “12 Days of Christmas” activation opens on December 1st with one winner drawn each day from December 13-24. Fans can purchase a special edition Baldy Christmas Ornament through DASH.

At our December 6th home game versus Bozeman, we will be having a Teddy Bear Toss. For more information, please view the FREE “Baldy’s Puck Drop” weekly Newsletter (register below) for more information and upcoming events. You can also view the newsletters online by clicking here as well.

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).

NEXT CONTEST: The Americans close out the month of November on the road with a trip to Butte, Montana for a winter showdown with the Butte Irish on Saturday, November 29th starting at 7:30PM (MST) live on NATV from the Butte Community Ice Center.

Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (1101 7th Street South) 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.

NATV 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.

For complete schedules/results, promotions, team stats, rosters and much more information, please go to our official website: www.greatfallsamericans.com 

Additonal Media Coverage: November 28, 2025: MTN SPORTS (KRTV): Helena nets 7 goals in 2nd,3rd periods to beat Great Falls in NA3HL divisioinal clash Read Article/Watch Video