By Tribune Sports Staff
October 1, 2018
HELENA Mont. – Elliot Plourde led the way with a hat trick Saturday night as the Helena Bighorns opened up the floodgates on the Great Falls Americans, handing the Electric City club its first defeat of the season with a 7-1 pounding at the Capital City ice rink.
The win for the Horns gives them sole possession of first place in the NA3HL Frontier Division with 14 points and a 7-0-0-0 record. The Americans are second with 12 points (6-1-0-0). Bozeman trails the Americans by two points (4-1-0-0), and Gillette is fourth with six points (2-21-1).
After a scoreless first 20 minutes, the Bighorns went to work with three goals in the second, starting with Plourde’s first tally of the game early in the period. He would score twice in the third, with Darren Donovan assisting on all three goals.
Jens Juliussen got the Americans on the board four minutes into the third with his fifth goal of the year off assists from Luke Richesin and Matt Janke.
Goalie Drew Scites collected 32 saves on 39 tries for Great Falls, while Alexander Rogers got the win for Helena after saving all but one of his 28 save attempts.
Great Falls earned their sixth win Friday night, overhauling the winless Butte Cobras 12-1 at the Great Falls Ice-Plex.
Jack Olson scored four times for the Americans, with Garrett Peterson adding a hat trick.
Great Falls native Cam McIntosh, in his second year with the Americans, notched his first win between the pipes after redirecting 12 of Butte’s 13 shots.
The Americans will be home this Friday and Saturday to entertain the Gillette Wild at the IcePlex. Game time both nights is 7:30.
Story Courtesy: Great Falls Tribune: (October 1, 2018)