By Kevin Scott
| Box Score |
Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
GREAT FALLS, Mont., October 12, 2023 — It has been just two weeks since the #4 Great Falls Americans (4-5-0-0) and the #5 Badlands (SD) Sabres (3-3-0-2) met on the ice for a trio of game in Great Falls.
Since then, the Americans made their first road trip to Bozeman, Montana last Sunday for a single game against the #2 Bozeman Ice Dogs (7-0-0-0). Bozeman bested the Americans, 4-2. Dmitri Kuleshov scored both goals for Great Falls in the loss. Baden Koliha from the Ice Dogs had a hat trick (3 goals) for the win (game story).
Meanwhile, the Sabres went 1-0-0-1 against the Sheridan (WY) Hawks last weekend inside the Sabres home arena. Both games were exciting as the games needed more than three regulation periods to decide a winner. The Sabres won 5-4 in overtime behind two goals by Benjamin Larson on Friday, but the Hawks won in a shootout the following night, 6-5.
When Great Falls and Badlands invaded the Great Falls Ice Plex the Americans topped the South Dakota squad in two of three games. In their first meeting on September 29, Great Falls pulled out a 4-3 victory thanks to Dmitri Kuleshov, Christian Crutcher, Jacob James, and Aaron James tallies. Ryan Stowe had 42 saves for his second win in the net. Brady Ridnour, Aden Cobbs, and Carter Kilen for Badlands did the scoring (game story). The following night, Badlands offensive attack downed the Americans, 3-1 for their first victory of the season. Aden Cobbs, Ryan Jordan, and Brooks Roaldson each put the biscuit in the basket for the visitors. The lone goal for Great Falls came in the first period when Dmitri Kuleshov scored (game story). In Sunday afternoon’s performance, the Americans came from behind to tie the game and force an unsuccessful overtime before getting to their first shootout of the 2023-24 season. Dmitri Kuleshov eventually won the game for Great Falls as he was the only member from either team to get the puck by the opposing goaltender for the 6-5 win (game story).
Could Great Falls pick up their fifth (overall) win and third against the Sabres on the only Thursday night home game of the season for Great Falls?
The #4 Great Falls Americans could not overcome a four-goal deficit to the visiting #5 Badland (SD) Sabres during Thursday night NA3HL hockey action at the Great Falls Ice Plex. Great Falls trailed 4-0 heading into the final period but could not find a way to make a comeback. The 4-2 win by the Sabres gave them their third victory in eight contests.
The Badlands offense shutout Great Falls in the opening period behind goals from Brooks Roaldson and Alexander Petrotto. Aden Cobbs, Max Mehus, and Carter Kilen produced the assists with the visitors leading 2-0 before the first intermission. The Sabres took 15 shots on goal and produced two goals. Great Falls contributed 14 shots.
The Sabres owned the second period by capitalizing on two scoring drives while preventing the Americans offense from getting the puck in the net. Four Sabre players contributed to their third goal. Max Mehus netted his second goal in his first year with Badlands. Brooks Roaldson and Thayne Coston assisted during the first three minutes of the middle period. Mehus and Roaldson are from Jamestown, North Dakota and Coston is from Cosby, Norh Dakota. Nine minutes later, the Sabres tallied their fourth goal as Jack Walters collected his eighth assist of the night while Dylan Woolstenhulme added his sixth on the score by Sweden native Laurence Lundberg. Immediately after the fourth goal by Badlands, the Great Falls coaching staff replaced starting netminder Adler Hoagland with Ryan Stowe. Stowe stopped all three shots during the final twelve minutes of the period. The South Dakota squad attempted 28 shots-on-goal after the first forty minutes. Great Falls offense was limited to just five shots after having 14 (shots) in the first frame.
The host squad managed to get on the scoreboard after 43 minutes of action. Aaron James scored off a pass from Jacob James and Dmitri Kuleshov. The 4-1 deficit gave the Americans some momentum in the final period of regulation with their offense perking up. Aiden Kennedy made his second goal for Great Falls this season with under three minutes remaining, but it was too little to late as the Sabres denied the Americans a chance for their fifth win. Dmitri Kuleshov accrued his second assist of the game while Ty O’Bey captured his sixth assist.
Great Falls made more shot attempts (22) than combined in the first and second periods (19). Badlands ended with 38 saves.
Max Mehus and Brooks Roaldson each scored one goal and one assist for coach Brooks Mitzel’s squad. Dmitri Kuleshov had an assist in each of the Americans third period scores.
The winning goaltender was Easton Eriksmoen, who won his third game in four appearances, stopped 39 shots and was perfect through two periods before allowing two Great Falls goals. The Crosby, North Dakota goalie finished with 39 saves. Adler Hoagland played 32 minutes before being replaced by Ryan Stowe in the middle period. The Minnesota netminder remains winless in three outings after making 21 saves. Stowe was perfect in the net swatting away all 13 shot attempts.
NOTES: Great Falls sent defenseman Christian Crutcher to practice this week with the North American Hockey League’s (NAHL) Springfield Jr. Blues in a tryout with the Illinois team.
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: No other Frontier Division teams competed tonight. This was the only game in the NA3HL tonight.
NEXT CONTEST: Great Falls makes the trip on Friday and Saturday (October 13-14) for two games against the Sheridan Hawks in Sheridan, Wyoming. This will be the first head-to-head meeting between these fierce rivals this year. The action heats up on the ice starting at 7:30PM (MST) each night.
Fans that can’t make the trip can watch on the NA3HL’s new streaming service, NAHLTV. Click here to learn more about how to view any of the Americans home and away contests.
All road games (including the Friday and Saturday games at Sheridan) will be shown live at the Stadium Bar and Casino located at 1121 5th Street South in Great Falls where fans are invited for a “watch party.”
Click here for the 2023-24 Great Falls Americans schedule and results.
Additional Media Coverage: October 12, 2023: Staradio: Weekly Radio Interview by Staradio Sports Director Troy Mellinger with Great Falls Americans Head Coach Greg Sears every week. Click here to listen to the full interviews.
Additional Media Coverage: October 12, 2023: Baldy’s Puck Drop: Weekly Americans Newsletter by Team Owner, Matt Leaf, Volume 6. Click here to view the entire inaugural newsletter.
Additional Media Coverage: October 12, 2023: Americans Podcast with Jim Quick: Americans defenseman Phil Harrell talked with Jim on a variety of subjects. Click here to listen to all episodes.