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BALDY’S PUCK DROP Weekly E-Newsletter (September – August) |
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Baldy’s Puck Drop” Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Volume 74: September 11, 2025
PDF Printable Download: Weekly E-Newsletter with Matt Leaf
Dear Great Falls Americans Enthusiast: Opening weekend is in the rear-view mirror and, although the game results were not what we were hoping for, there is still a lot to be excited about for this season. Friday’s game was even through the first 30 minutes before the wheels kind of fell off on this young team playing in front of a very enthusiastic crowd. Saturday’s 3-2 loss was highlighted by a very strong 3rd period and, specifically the final ten minutes, where we finally played up to the level expected from this group. The staff firmly believes that both Helena and Bozeman are playoff caliber teams, so starting the season competing with the league’s best is a great way to measure ourselves and gain valuable experience for the real crunch time of the season. You have heard me say each of the past two seasons that we do not win or lose a championship in September, and the goal is to be playing our best hockey in March. Our staff still very much believes in the group of kids we have here – we hope you can continue to support them, as well.
Regardless of the game results, it was still a very special weekend with our largest crown in two years on
opening night and a very successful pre-game tailgate party on Saturday. A special thank you goes out to Alexandra from Bish’s RV of Great Falls for being the presenting partner for ourTailgate Party and for the band “After Five” for putting on a great show. This was our biggest and best Tailgate Party, yet, and we’ll look to continue the tradition with an even bigger and better 4th Annual Tailgate Party at the start of next season.
Saturday brought about our best Chuck-a-Puck activation so far as our fans figure out what this is all about. Now is the perfect
time to secure your pucks to chuck for the season as you can reserve your pucks for each game through DASH (QR Code to the right) and at a discounted price. On each game night, you can then simply stop at the chuck-a-puck table to pick up your bag of Montana Air National Guard chuck-a-pucks. Thank you to our prize partners from Play It Again Sports, Montana Rib & Chop House, Fire Pizza, Teriyaki Madness and the world-renowned Sip-N-Dip Lounge who have provided the targets and the prizes available for our fans to win at each home game.
For those who can’t make it to the Ice Plex, you can still check out the games live, or on demand, on NAHL TV. The league’s live stream service
will broadcast all our games live this season and if you miss the live version, or want to relive the game, you can always go back and watch the game on demand. A very special thank you, in advance, goes out to our live Stream production team Sky Motion Productions with Ryan Siders on the play-by-play call and JD Pearson manning the camera from the Northwestern Energy Broadcast Booth. For our away games, you can join other fans at our “Official Watch Party” at Buffalo Wild Wings and enjoy great food and beverage while taking in the game on multiple TV’s.
Last night, a special thank you goes out to Dave and Cathy Covert for hosting our boys for a team dinner at Wadsworth Park. The wildfire prevented the team from making their annual pre-season trip to their cabin, so last night proved to be a great substitute. Thanks Dave and Cathy!
I am delighted to announce Russell Country Federal Credit Union as our newest Diamond Level Partner and we can’t wait to activate our first 
“Teddy Bear Toss” with their help on December 6th during our home game with Bozeman. For those who may not be familiar, a “Teddy Bear Toss” is a hockey tradition where fans will receive a discounted ticket if they come to the game with a plush toy and then have the privilege to toss their “Teddy Bear” on the ice after the Americans score their first goal. The toys are then collected and donated to children’s charity where the plush toys are presented to children in need during the holidays. It is a great hockey tradition – the Hersey Bears of the American Hockey League holds the world record with 102,343 teddy bears and stuffed animals collected during their game on January 5th, 2025. I am not expecting to reach those heights this first season – but with the help of our newest partner I am excited about this family friendly night of hockey in December that will support a great cause!
This Friday will be another special night as Northwestern Energy is partnering with us to salute our Sled Hockey players from Eagle Mount
Therapeutic Recreation. For those who have followed along over the past 12 months, the Americans partnered with Eagle Mount to help revitalize their Sled Hockey Program which had not regrouped after COVID. Several of the sled hockey players will be in attendance and several special activations are planned to honor these special hockey players with the help of Northwestern Energy. We look forward to seeing you at the games this weekend (you also won’t want to miss out on the ever-popular Gills Point S Tire & Auto Tricycle race on Saturday).
Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom is our “Official Gathering Spot” after all home games this season. This activation is a great way for our fans to mingle with our players after a successful home game and enjoy some great food and drink with other passionate fans. It is a chance for our players to refuel after the game and give our billet families a break from having to cook after a long game-day. Plan on joining us after all home games at Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom as all fans are welcome.
Player Profile – #21 Jaxen Savage (Kenora, ONT) 6’0” 170 lbs. FOR – Shoots Right DOB 04/06/2006
Favorite Team: Boston Bruins 
Favorite Player: Brad Marchand
Favorite Movie: The Batman (most recent)
Favorite Actor/Actress: Kevin Hart
Favorite Food: Fettucine Alfredo
Favorite Pre-Game Meal: Spaghetti
If you were animal: A Timber Wolf – because they are intimidating and quick!
Musical Group You Won’t Miss in Concert: Travis Scott
Music Guaranteed to get you hyped: Hard Metal / EOM
Person stuck with on a deserted Island: Jordan Belfort
Hobbies other than Hockey: Golf, Baseball, Fishing
Three People you would invite to Dinner: Patrice Bergeron, David Ortiz, Alex Ovechkin
College/University of Choice: Algonquin College or Boston University
Like Most About Great Falls: I love the boys, the fans/billet families are awesome.
How would you define a successful season: Going to St. Louis to compete in the Fraser Cup!
Here are the upcoming dates to add to your calendar:
- September 12th – Northwestern Energy Salute to Eagle Mount Therapeutic Recreation Sled Hockey during home game versus Badlands Sabres. 7:05 PM Puck Drop!
- September 13th – USA Hockey’s National “Try Hockey for Free” 9:15 AM at the Ice
- September 13th – Home game versus Badlands Sabres featuring “Point S Tire & Auto” Tricycle Race during 1st
- September 19th – First Away game at 7:05 PM Puck drop and join our fans at Buffalo Wild Wings for our official Watch Party location for all away games this season.
- September 26th – Oktoberfest at Annie’s Taphouse 5:00-10:00 PM on the 100 Block of Central Avenue downtown.
- September 26th – Away game at 7:30 PM Puck drop and join our fans at Buffalo Wild Wings for our official Watch Party location for all away games this season.
- September 27th – Home game versus Helena presented by Toyota. Puck drop is 7:05
Thank you to our corporate partners for their continued support.
Eagle’s Nest Level
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Diamond Level
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Platinum Level
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Tammy Quintrell-Stubbs |
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Gold, Silver and Bronze Level Partners (* new this season)
| All-State Signs | Beacon Ice House | Eagle Mount Therapeutic Recreation* |
| Floors & More Abbey Carpets | Central Avenue Meats | Craftmaster Cabinets |
| Havre Youth Hockey | Central MT Lock & Safe | Century Gaming |
| Life in Bloom Floral @ Gift Boutique | Hotel Arvon/Celtic Cowboy | Stifel l Finnicum Financial Group |
| Coca-Cola* | Craftmaster Cabinets | Culligan Water |
| Comparion Insurance | Play It Again Sports | Open Door Wellness |
| Big Sky Laboratory | Cascade Electric | Hampton Inn & Suites |
| Ferrin’s Furniture | Great Falls Hospital | She Bare Wax & Sugar Boutique |
| Jersey Mike’s | Karma Coffee | Murphy Law |
| Scheels | Stockman Bank | Traynor Capital |
| Voices of Hope* | Johnson Distributing | Mountain Title Company |
| Fire Pizza* | Montana Rib & Chop House* | Visit Great Falls |
| Croxford Funeral Home and Crematory | Bish’s RV of Great Falls* | StaRadio |
| Benski Towing & Recovery | Westgate Repair, Inc. | Annie’s Taphouse |
| MNoel Photography | Sip-N-Dip Lounge* |
Thank you for being a part of our hockey family!
Matt Leaf
Great Falls Americans HC Inc
MattL.GFAmericans@gmail.com