By Kevin Scott
| Box Score | Game Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
GREAT FALLS, Mont., October 24, 2015 — The Bozeman Ice Dogs and the Great Falls Americans met up for the first time during the 2015-16 season on Saturday night in Great Falls.
Bozeman started the season winning their first three but have since lost two straight home games to the Helena Bighorns (4-1 on Thursday) and the Yellowstone Quake (6-2 on Friday night). They currently sit in fourth place in the Frontier Division with a record of 4-3-1.
The Americans (9-2), who haven’t lost since their October 10th contest against the Yellowstone Quake, have won three straight including a pair of wins on the road this week in Gillette, Wyoming.
Stevan Goran provided the game-winning goal as the Great Falls Americans defeated the Bozeman Ice Dogs 4-3 in a shootout during Bridger Steel Night at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday night. The host team gave the 849 fans in attendance plenty to cheer about despite a comeback attempt by Bozeman.
Great Falls didn’t waste much time getting in the scoring column to open up the first stanza. Great Falls native Connor Barta netted the early goal in the first 99 seconds of the game. Assisting on the first score was Mitchell Ramstad and Tanner Congdon. Austin Krantz gave the Americans a two-goal advantage at the 10:24 mark on a power play. Jesse Johnson grabbed his first assist while Tanner Congdon picked up his second. The Ice Dogs took ten shots to the Americans nine.
Tanner Congdon increased the lead for the home team to 3-0 with his third goal of the season. Malachi Bushey and Reed Link provided the assists for the opening goal of the middle period. The Bozeman franchise cut into the deficit with two goals of their own in three minute span. Gunnar Mogck and Casey Gobel found a way to get the puck into the goal against Great Falls goaltender Lauren Massie before the second intermission. The assists came from Kegan Couture, Brock Loser, Dylan Michaud and Bryce Meckes.
Bozeman came back to tie the game near the end of regulation. Dylan Michaud found Nicholas Thompson for the Ice Dog’s third points with five minutes remaining in the final period. Michaud’s score sent the game into an extra period.
During the five minute overtime, both teams took some shots-on-goal but no goals would be scored. This set up a shootout between both NA3HL franchises.
Stevan Goran had the deciding and the only goal during the shootout in the Americans win after five players (Austin Charnholm, Dylan Michaud, Nicholas Thompson, Kyle Klatt and AJ O’Dell) from the visiting team were unsuccessful. Prior to Goran’s goal, Tanner Congdon, Mitchell Ramstad, Reed Link, and Arseny Ivanov were the shooters for Great Falls.
There were twelve total power plays during the contest with only one successful try by Americans forward Austin Krantz during the first period.
Great Falls finished their third straight win in three nights with six minor penalties for 12 minutes while the Ice Dogs incurred 16 minutes of penalty time with eight minors.
The Great Falls offense forced Bozeman goalie Stephen Frank to work between the pipes by taking 33 shots on goal. Lauren Massie made 23 saves and allowed three goals with two of them coming in the second period.
NEXT CONTEST: Great Falls returns home to the Great Falls Ice Plex on Friday, October 30th to face the Helena Bighorns with action starting at 7:30PM.
Additional Media Coverage: October 24, 2015: Great Falls Tribune: Goran helps win shootout for Great Falls