By Kevin Scott
| Box Score | Game Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
GREAT FALLS, Mont., January 16, 2016 — The last time the Great Falls Americans (24-7-2) faced the Gillette Wild (16-15) was back on January 2nd when they fell to the Wyoming team 4-2.
Including that setback, the Americans have won four of their six meetings with the Wild. Great Falls had accounted for 24 of the 38 total game goals between these two NA3HL opponents.
Tanner Congdon and Austin Krantz each scored once to propel the Great Falls Americans to a 2-1 win at home against the Gillette Wild on Saturday night in front of 505 loyal fans on a snowy and cold evening in Great Falls.
Gillette struck first with a power play goal by Cade Boreing that came within the first six minutes of action. Preston Fuller and Adam Maxfield were credited with the assists to give the Wild a one goal advantage. Eight minutes later, Great Falls tied up the contest as Austin Krantz connected on a successful power play opportunity. Tanner Congdon, who leads the team with 29 assists this season, and Blake Miller set up the Americans first points of the evening. The home team had a slight edge in the shots-on-goal category (15-14) during the opening period.
After neither team could record any goals during the middle period, there was only one more successful scoring opportunity that happened in the final period of regulation. After picking up an assist in the Americans first period goal, Tanner Congdon netted a goal of his own with nine minutes remaining to help seal the victory over the Wild. The Americans defense came up big after that and never allowed another goal. Great Falls native Connor Barta and Ricards Bernhards each added an assist to their season statistics.
The top team in the Frontier Division racked up 36 shots on goal against the Gillette defense including 28 in the first forty minutes of action. The majority of penalties came in the first period with Great Falls having four minors. The Americans finished the contest incurring 10 minutes in penalty time with five minors. Gillette also had five minors and one major resulting in 20 minutes of penalty time.
Great Falls net minder Lauren Massie and Gillette’s Alex Feese each made 34 saves but the Wild allowed one more shot to get through the net.
The Americans, under the guidance of coach Jeff Heimel, improved their home record to 13-3-1.
NEXT CONTEST: The Americans face the Gillette Wild again on Sunday afternoon (January 17th) at 4:00PM at the Great Falls Ice Plex.