By Kevin Scott
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Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
BLAINE, Minn., December 15, 2025 — The Great Falls Americans (17-9-1-1) entered the second day af the 2025 NA3HL Showcase ready to add their second victory of the tournament to their resume on Monday evening in Minnesota.
In Sunday’s opener against the Austin (TX) Ice Bats, Riley Hattan and Ethan Miller each scored in the first and second periods, respecively for the Ameriacns. Dylan Jimenez and Arys Perardi created two first period scoring drives for the Ice Bats as they tied the game, 2-2. After Owen Rattray’s score three minutes into the third, Jase Troyer of the Americans scored for Great Falls eleven minutes later to even the score, 3-3. The game was on the brink of going into overtime but Tallon Caron was the hero for the Americans as he scored the short-handed tally with no time remaining as Great Falls won 4-3. Starting goaltender Kaden Rhyder picked up his seventh win of the season.
The annual NA3HL Showcase Tournament in Blaine, Minnesota takes place every December before the holiday break. The three-day tournament (December 14-16) gives the teams a chance to play other squads in the other divisions and also give the opportunity for the players to showcase their skills in front of hundreds of junior and college scouts (ACHA, NCAA, JUCO) that are in attendance inside the NSC Super Rink. All 38 clubs in the NA3HL are in the tournament. Each team plays three games with the matchups based (evenly) on their current division standings that DO count in the official NA3HL league standings Click here to see the press release about the Americans opponents.
The Alexandria (MN) Blizzard was Monday’s opponent for the Americans. The Blizzard (11-12-4-0) are fresh off a 2-1 shootout victory over the Frontier Division’s Badlands (SD) Sabres on Sunday. Quinten Friborg scored the Blizzard’s first goal in the third period and Grady Stallman was the only player to score from either team in the shootout for head coach Jeff Crouse’s squad. Jayden Serene survived in the net for Alexandria by stopping 17 of 18 shots for his eleventh win of the year.
Alexandria is in third place in the NA3HL’s West Division behind the Minnesota Moose (22-5-0-0) and the Granite City (MN) Lumberjacks (20-4-1-0). Caleb Waller is the team leader in points scored (41), goals scored (19) and assists (22) made.
During the 2023-24 NA3HL Showcase, Alexandria topped Great Falls, 3-1 on December 18, 2023 in the only recent matchup between these two junior hockey league members.
Blake Breiland scored two goals and Jack Johnson assisted on two scoring plays to lead the Alexandria (MN) Blizzard past the Great Falls Americans, 4-1 on Day 2 of the 2025 NA3HL Showcase in Blaine, Minnesota on Monday night. Cooper Clouse (Great Falls) prevented the shutout with his third period tally.
Alexandria took a 1-0 lead after the first stanza as Caleb Waller netted his 19th goal of the season off a pass from Grady Stallman with 5:39 left in the first period. A total of 15 shots were taken before the first intermission.
Seven minutes into the second frame, the Blizzard tacked on a second goal. Blake Breiland increased the lead to 2-0 with an assist going to Jack Johnson. Blake Breiland chipped in his second goal of the period with 1:19 left to give the Minnesota NA3HL team a 3-0 advantage at the break. Adam Rauser earned the assist.
Cooper Clouse helped the Americans break into the scoring columun with his 14th goal five minutes into the final period Ethan Miller assisted on Great Falls’ first scoirng drive of the game. The Americans pulled goaltender Cole Murphy to gain an extra offiinsive player during the final four minutes of play. Jack Johnson of the Blizzard took advatnage and sialed the puck all the way down the ice for a empty net goal to give Alexandria a 4-1 lead and put the game out of reach.
Alexandria took most of their shots (15) in the third period to finish with 28. The Americans took 19 shots and had one successful scoring drive.
The Montana team allowed three power play chances go unanswered.
Jayden Serene (12-8-2-1) is now 2-0 in the December tournament. The Blizzard netminder was flawless the first two periods before allowing one in the third frame and made 18 saves iin 60 minutes. Cole Murphy (8-4-1-0) redirected 24 shots in his Showcase debut for the Americans.
On Day 2, the Frontier Division went 4-4-0-0 with the Gillette (WY) Wild defeating the El Paso (TX) Rhinos, 3-2 in overtime, the Yellowstone (WY) Quake over the Bayou State (LA) Rougarou, 6-1, Butte bested the Carolina (SC) Rage, 3-1 and the Sheridan (WY) Hawks beat the Long Beach (NY) Sharks, 6-5 in a shootout. Meanwhile, the Badlands (SD) Sabres fell 4-2 over the Wausau (WI) Cyclones, the West Power (WI) Power easily defeated the Helena Bighorns, 7-1 and the Rochester (MN) Grizzlies won 5-2 over the Bozeman Ice Dogs.
NOTES: The Americans are having their “12 Days of Christmas” event where the team will draw one winner
each day from December 13-24 through the DASH activation. Fans can also purchase a special edition Baldy Christmas Ornament through DASH. Check back on our social media pages to see if you are a winner!
For more information about upcoming events, please view the FREE “Baldy’s Puck Drop” weekly Newsletter (register below). 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: Great Falls will close out the 2025 NA3HL Showcase Tournament with a morning contest against the Mason City (Iowa) Toros, who are currently in fourth place behind Monday’s opponent, the Alexandria (MN) Blizzard, with a 10-12-4-0 record. The third and final day of the prestigious tournament begins for the Americans and Toros at 11:15AM (MST) on Tuesday, December 16th live from the National Sports Center (NSC) Super Rink. NATV will provide the streaming coverage.
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