By Kevin Scott
BOZEMAN, Mont., November 29, 2014 — In their four meetings so far this season, the Great Falls Americans (17-2) have won all four league contests against the Bozeman Ice Dogs (3-16). The Americans have racked up 20 goals and have allowed only six goals in those games.
The Great Falls franchise was looking to add more goals and hold the home team to as few as possible for the final November contest for both of these clubs.
Great Falls goaltender Lauren Massie picked up his seventh win as the Americans ran their road record to 8-0 with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Ice Dogs at Bozeman’s Haynes Pavilion on Saturday night.
Adam Apangalook and Erik Gatson each tallied an assist in the first period as they found Michael Kliment open for the only score in the opening twenty minutes for Great Falls. Kliment’s fourth goal of the season came with 10:48 on the clock over Bozeman goaltender Denijs Romanovskis. Both teams ended the period with 11 shots on goal and combined for 0-for-4 on power play opportunities.
The Americans scored twice in a four-minute span to open the middle period. Lucas Lomax found the back of the net (for his team-leading twelfth goal) first followed by Robert Kalata’s score. Dylan Garton and Zack Mese assisted on Lomax’s score while Reed Link and Marvin Simmons helped with Kalata’s scoring opportunity. The period saw 13 total shots taken by both offenses.
Malachi Bushey increased the Americans lead to 4-0 more than halfway through the final period to ensure the win. Miles Giorgione added another assist to his season total of eight while Brendan Jester added his first assist as a Great Falls American since being acquired in a trade from the Glacier Nationals in late October.
Great Falls and Bozeman could not convert on their combined four power play chances that happened in the first period.
Lauren Massie, the Wasilla, Alaska native, recorded 23 saves and never allowed any goals by the Bozeman offense. Denijs Romanovskis stopped 24 of the 28 shot attempts by Great Falls.
After recording four combined penalties in the first period, neither team was penalized in the last two stanzas.
The Americans did out-shoot the Ice Dogs 28-23 in their fifth meeting of the season.
NEXT CONTEST: The Americans will be in Havre, Montana on Friday, December 5th when they battle the Glacier Nationals at the Havre Ice Dome. The puck drops at 8:00 PM.
| Period 1 | Period 2 | Period 3 | Final | |
| Great Falls | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Bozeman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
First Period – 1, Great Falls, Michael Kliment (Adam Apangalook, Erik Gatson), 9:12.
Second Period – 2, Great Falls, Lucas Lomax (Dylan Garton, Zack Mese), 2:10. 3, Great Falls, Robert Kalata (Reed Link, Marvin Simmons), 4:07.
Third Period –4, Great Falls, Malachi Bushey (Brendan Jester, Miles Giorgione), 12:15.
Shots on Goal – Great Falls 28, Bozeman 23.
Power-play Opportunities – Great Falls 0-for-1, Bozeman 0-for-3.
Attendance – 167
Box Score: Great Falls @ Bozeman
Additional Media Coverage: November 30, 2014: Great Falls Tribune: Americans shut-out Ice Dogs on road