By Kevin Scott
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SHERIDAN, Wyo., October 14, 2023 — The fourth-ranked Great Falls Americans (6-5-0-0) were ready for Round 2 against the #6 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (2-6-1-1) after blanking the Wyoming team, 4-0 on Friday to snap their two-game losing streak.
Kaden Ryhder, a first-year goaltender for Great Falls, put on a stellar performance for the visiting Montana squad by redirecting all 45 shots for his second victory in three games. Luke Pizzey and Ty O’Bey each scored once and dished out one assist for Great Falls (game story).
The Great Falls Americans led 3-2 with under three minutes to go in regulation on Saturday but the Sheridan Hawks behind a home crowd scored to even the score with 18 seconds left to send the NA3HL contest to an overtime. Neither team scored in the extra frame but Great Falls prevailed thanks to goals by Dmitri Kuleshov and Luke Pizzey for the 4-3 shootout road victory in Sheridan, Wyoming on Saturday night to conclude their two-game weekend series. This was Great Falls’ second win this season in a shootout.
The Hawks jumped out to an early 1-0 lead with Tanner Freed’s successful slapshot over Great Falls netminder Kaden Ryhder early in the first period. Jackson LeBrasseur and Caleb Murray picked up the assists. Three minutes later, Great Falls put in the equalizer with an eighth goal by Dmitri Kuleshov with assistance from Phil Harrell and Aaron James, who both received their fifth assists of the season.
After a scoreless second period, both teams were able to find the back of the net in the third frame. Each team scored within the first 78 seconds. First, Tanner Freed garnered his second goal of the contest (eighth overall) for Sheridan off the stick of Caleb Murray. Niko Kempa got the secondary assist. Sherdan’s lead would be short-lived as 50 seconds later Luke Pizzey put the biscuit in the basket to even the score. Dmitri Kuleshov and Aaron James helped set up the game-tying goal with 18:42 remaining. The Americans broke the tie with three minutes remaining in regulations when Ty O’Bey’s seventh lamplighter of the season with assists coming from Phil Harrell and Aaron James. The Hawks came back and tied the game with 19 seconds left as Jackson LeBrasseur netted his third tally on a dish from Caleb Murray and Daniil Viscu.
A shootout was necessary as the five-minute overtime period came and went without any scoring.
Dmitri Kuleshov and Ty O’Bey both scored while going one-on-one against Sheridan netminder Zach Broxterman and that was enough to win the shootout. Caleb Murray was the lone skater for the Hawks to get the puck in the net as Tanner Freed and Bowen Lopez were each denied by Americans goalie Kaden Ryhder.
Both NA3HL squads accumulated 52 shots-on-goal in their second head-to-head game in as many days.
Kaden Ryhder, a night after securing 45 saves in the 4-0 shutout win over Sheridan, made 46 saves while allowing three regulation goals to improve to 3-1-0-0 in five appearances for the Montana NA3HL squad. Meanwhile, Zack Broxterman is still winless in the net for Sheridan. The Kansas goaltender accrued 46 saves as his record dropped to 0-4-1-1 in six games.
NOTES: Jim Quick has another episode of the “Americans Podcast with host Jim Quick” completed online. The third episode features Americans defenseman Phil Harrell. To see this podcast and the previous two episodes featuring the history of the Great Falls Americans and Alex Leaf, the current Associate Coach for the Americans and former player, please click here.
The Americans have a new online team store this season with a variety of items to buy. Click here to buy online or purchase your Americans souvenirs at any of the home games.
Please check out the Americans website at www.greatfallsamericans.com for all your updated news, game summaries, rosters, photo galleries, etc.
For more information on what the team is doing this week in the community and other news from Great Falls Americans Team Owner, Matt Leaf, please click here to view his weekly “Baldy’s Puck Drop” Newsletter.
FRONTIER DIVISION UPDATE: The #1 Helena Bighorns (10-0-0-0) remained undefeated in the Frontier Division as they continued to dominate in league play with a convincing 9-1 win over the winless #8 Yellowstone (WY) Quake (0-10-0-0) inside Helena’s Steed Arena on Saturday evening. Trey Pareja received a hat trick, Camden Cunningham scored twice and assisted on one scoring play and Ty Moore had a score and dished out three assists for coach Damon Hanson’s squad. Wesley Amos prevented the Bighorns shutout with a third period tally for the Quake. Malik Johnson had 18 saves in his third victory for Helena. Roman Von Der Heide made 22 saves for the visitors (Box Score).
In other action, the #2 Gillette (WY) Wild (8-1-0-1) offense continued to roll towards another victory against the #3 Bozeman Ice Dogs (7-2-0-0). Matt Siems, Tay Kurpius and Adam Severson combined for all of Gillette’s six goals in helping Gillette blank the Ice Dogs, 6-0. Weston Gerke of Gillette was perfect in the net by acquiring 33 saves. Matthew Ryynanen saw his record fall to 4-2-0-0. Isaac Weatherford registered 57 saves in Bozeman’s second loss of the season (Box Score).
Benjamin Larson scored two goals including the game-winning score with 51 seconds remaining as the #5 Badlands (SD) Sabres (4-3-1-1) upended the #7 Butte Irish (2-6-0-0) 3-2 to finish 1-1 on the weekend. Ryan Jordan had two assists for the winning team. Andrew Browe and Joshua Field added the goals in the first and third periods, respectively for Butte. Badlands goalie Easton Eriksmoen improved to 4-1-0-0 on the season by gathering 43 saves. Joshua Horacek of Butte (0-2-0-0) finished with 30 saves (Box Score).
NEXT CONTEST: The Butte Irish are the next opponent for the Great Falls Americans for the upcoming weekend. The home-and-away series starts in Butte, Montana when the Americans will challenge the Irish on Friday, October 20th for a 7:30PM (MST) start from the Butte Community Ice Center. Great Falls will return home for their ninth game at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday, October 21st against Butte at 7:00PM (MST).
NAHLTV is the streaming platform that fans can watch all of the NA3HL contests including the Great Falls Americans all season long. Click here to learn more about how to view any of the Americans home and away contests.
The Stadum Bar and Casino, located at 1121 5th Street South 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.
Click here for the 2023-24 Great Falls Americans schedule and results.