Gillette steals Game 3 from Great Falls in double overtime

Mar 14, 2014 | News, Uncategorized

By Kevin Scott

GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 14, 2014 —The #2 seeded Great Falls Americans hosted their first playoff series since the team came back three season ago against the #3 Gillette Wild on Friday night at the Great Falls Ice Plex in front of a season best 1,026 fans for game three of the AWHL Semifinals. Great Falls trailed 2-1 with 2:01 left in regulation when Donovan Mattfeldt scored on the unassisted play to send the game into overtime. After a scoreless overtime period, Gillette defeated the home team 3-2 in the second overtime.

Great Falls and Gillette battled hard on both ends of the rink throughout the game. The Wild took a 1-0 on Bryce Mitzel’s power play score with 4:54 remaining in the first period. Greg Sauers and Shane Brown received the assists on the only scoring drive for either team. Both teams combined for 30 shots on goal after twenty minutes of play.

The Americans wasted little time getting on the scoreboard in the second period (37 seconds to be exact) Aaron McInnis and Donovan Mattfeldt got the puck to an open Dylan Garton to tie the contest at 1-1. Gillette responded 12 minutes later with their second power play goal and broke the tie. Trent Dillinger registered his first goal of the series with Alex King and Andril Istominov assisting for the Wyoming club. Gillette held a 31-26 advantage in the shots on goal category after forty minutes.

Great Falls goaltender Erik Powell didn’t allow any shots to get by him in the third period and Great Falls chipped in their second goal of the evening with 2:01 left in regulation. Donovan Mattfeldt scored the unassisted goal to send the game into overtime.

Neither Great Falls nor Gillette were able to score after one five minute overtime period. Gillette’s Bryce MItzel added his second goal of the game in the second overtime to give the visiting team the win and another game against the Americans. Assisting on the game-winning score were Will Fobair and Darren Banks.

Despite the loss, Great Falls out-shot Gillette 72-49 including the third period which saw Great Falls tack on 23 shots on goal. The American converted on just one of their eight power play chances. Sean Kelley was credited with the win as the Gillette goaltender allowed two of the 72 shots he faced get by him. Erik Powell added 46 saves to his season stats.

The Americans now take a 2-1 series lead with game four on Saturday night (March 15th) at 7:30 p.m.

The Helena Bighorns wrapped up their series against the Billings Bulls with a 5-2 victory. Helena will await the winner of the Great Falls-Gillette series for the AWHL championship.

NEXT CONTEST: The Americans will return to the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday, March 15th at 7:30 p.m. for Game 4 of the best-of-five series. If the Wild win, the fifth and final game of the series would be on Sunday, March 16th with a 4:00 p.m. start time.

 

Period 1 Period 2 Period 3 1st OT 2nd OT Final
Great Falls 0 1 1 0 0 2
Gillette 1 1 0 0 1 3

 

First Period – 1, Gillette, Bryce Mitzel (power play) (Greg Sauers, Shane Brown), 15:06.

Second Period –2, Great Falls, Dylan Garton (power play) (Aaron McInnis, Donovan Mattfeldt), 0:37.

3, Gillette, Trent Dillinger (power play) (Alex King, Andril Istominov), 12:47.

Third Period – 4, Great Falls, Donovan Mattfeldt (unassisted), 17:59.

First Overtime – NO SCORING

Second Overtime – 5, Gillette, Bryce Mitzel (Will Fobair, Darren Banks), 2:00.

Shots on Goal – Great Falls 72, Gillette 49.

Power-play Opportunities – Great Falls 1-for-8, Gillette 2-for-6.

Attendance – 1,026

Box Score: Gillette @ Great Falls

Final – 2OT Great Falls Iceplex    Fri, Mar 14, 2014 7:30 PM MST
Gillette 3 Great Falls 2

 

GAME DETAILS
SCORING SHOTS
1 2 3 OT 2OT TOTALS
Gillette 1 1 0 0 1 3
Great Falls 0 1 1 0 0 2
1 2 3 OT 2OT TOTALS
Gillette 16 15 0 7 11 49
Great Falls 14 12 23 13 10 72

 

POWERPLAYS
Gillette 2 – 6 : Great Falls 1 – 8

 

SCORING SUMMARY
Period 1
Gillette – Bryce Mitzel (power play) (Greg Sauers, Shane Brown) 15:06
Period 2
Great Falls – Dylan Garton (power play) (Aaron McInnis, Donovan Mattfeldt) 0:37
Gillette – Trent Dillinger (power play) (Alex King, Andrii Istominov) 12:47
Period 3
Great Falls – Donovan Mattfeldt (unassisted) 17:59
Overtime
(no scoring)
2nd Overtime
Gillette – Bryce Mitzel (Will Fobair, Darren Banks) 2:00
PENALTIES
Period 1
Great Falls – Dylan Garton – (Slashing), 2 MIN, 4:54
Gillette – Shane Brown – (Tripping), 2 MIN, 8:59
Great Falls – Jonnathan Carpenter – (Tripping), 2 MIN, 13:42
Great Falls – Trent Carter – (Interference), 2 MIN, 16:01
Gillette – Brandon Castleberry – (Holding), 2 MIN, 19:20
Period 2
Great Falls – Lucas Lomax – (Boarding), 2 MIN, 0:58
Gillette – Brandon Miller – (Tripping), 2 MIN, 8:11
Great Falls – Erik Gatson – (Slashing), 2 MIN, 10:50
Gillette – Darren Banks – (Interference), 2 MIN, 15:33
Period 3
Gillette – Bryce Mitzel – (Interference), 2 MIN, 0:54
Overtime
Gillette – Brandon Miller – (Tripping), 2 MIN, 0:00
Great Falls – Dylan Garton – (Hooking), 2 MIN, 0:26
Gillette – Chase Engdahl – (Slashing), 2 MIN, 1:46
2nd Overtime
Great Falls – Steven Butts – (High Sticking), 2 MIN, 0:00

 

 Gillette  Great Falls
# NAME G A PTS +/- S PIM
3 Dillinger, Trent 1 0 1 0 0 0
4 Engdahl, Chase 0 0 0 0 0 2
6 Reble, Tyler 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Mitzel, Bryce 2 0 2 0 0 2
8 Sauers, Greg 0 1 1 0 0 0
10 Miller, Brandon 0 0 0 0 0 4
12 Fobair, Will 0 1 1 0 0 0
16 McCann, Dalton 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Istominov, Andrii 0 1 1 0 0 0
19 Brown, Shane 0 1 1 0 0 2
20 McMinn, TJ 0 0 0 0 0 0
21 Kasdorf, Jonathan 0 0 0 0 0 0
22 Burke, Michael 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Papesh, Collin 0 0 0 0 0 0
25 King, Alex 0 1 1 0 0 0
26 Eldridge, Dylan 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 Banks, Darren 0 1 1 0 0 2
30 Kitts, Michael 0 0 0 0 0 0
31 Kelley, Sean 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 Castleberry, Brandon 0 0 0 0 0 2
# NAME G A PTS +/- S PIM
00 , Bench 0 0 0 0 0 0
1 Powell, Erik 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Strong, Bridger 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Krantz, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Garton, Dylan 1 0 1 0 0 4
8 Lomax, Lucas 0 0 0 0 0 2
9 Goran, Steven 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Kaercher, Max 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Mattfeldt, Donovan 1 1 2 0 0 0
14 Carpenter, Jonnathan 0 0 0 0 0 2
15 Butts, Steven 0 0 0 0 0 2
16 Mese, Zack 0 0 0 0 0 0
17 Gatson, Erik 0 0 0 0 0 2
18 Link, Reed 0 0 0 0 0 0
19 Carter, Trent 0 0 0 0 0 2
20 Christiaens, Brady 0 0 0 0 0 0
23 Stover, Lucas 0 0 0 0 0 0
27 Nottke, Austin 0 0 0 0 0 0
29 Barta, Connor 0 0 0 0 0 0
30 Hauser, Evan 0 0 0 0 0 0
93 McInnis, Aaron 0 1 1 0 0 0
  GOALIES
NAME DEC Min SHOTS SAVES
31 Sean Kelley WIN 67:00 72 70
30 Michael Kitts (b)
NAME DEC Min SHOTS SAVES
1 Erik Powell LOSS 67:00 49 46
30 Evan Hauser (b)

 

PENALTY TOTALS
Gillette 14 minutes on 7 infractions Great Falls 14 minutes on 7 infractions

 

 

OTHER FACTS
Game Length: 3:43
Attendance: 1,026