NOTE: A Special Thanks to Benefis Health System Facebook for providing the photo.
By Kevin Scott
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Photo Credit: GF Americans Facebook
GILLETTE, Wyo.., October 31, 2025 — Happy Halloween from the Great Falls Americans!! The Americans (8-6-1-1) traveled back for a second game this season to face the Gillette (WY) Wild (7-5-1-0) on Friday night after having played their first head-to-head meeting on October 18th in Wyoming.
In the first encounter, both teams were even at 2-2 after two periods. Great Falls took a 3-2 lead in the third and were 46 second away from the road win but Gillette’s Dominic Arndt put the puck between the pipes to tie the game and sent it to a five-minute extra session. Riley Schmidt (2 goals, 1 assist) score the game-winning lamplighter with 2:51 on the clock to preserve the win for the Wild. Riley Hattan, Tallon Caron, and Cooper Clouse all saw puck reach the back of the net. Gillette’s Matthew Bennett (29 saves) picked up the win for the home team while Great Falls’ Cole Murphy rejected 31 of the 35 shots sent his way.
The Americans were hoping for their fourth win away from the Great Falls Ice Plex on Friday night and the first against the Wild.
Cooper Clouse scored two goals while AJ Prioli and Ethan Miller combined for four assists to lead the Great Falls Americans to their fourth road victory of the season by downing the Gillette (WY) Wild, 4-1 at Spirit Hall Ice Arena during Friday’s NA3HL contest in Wyoming.
The Wild broke the scoreless tie when John Vail buried the puck in the net off a pass from Brayden Waters and Dylan Herold with 39 seconds left to take a 1-0 lead into the first intermission. The first goal came with Great Falls in the penalty box. Herold made his first appearance with the Wild after starting the season with the NA3HL’s Rochester (MN) Grizzlies on Friday. Gillette and Great Falls each produced six shots-on-goal.
The visiting team outscored the Wyoming club, 2-0 in the middle period. Cooper Clouse scored his eighth goal on a tally that gave AJ Prioli his sixth assist with 12:40 remaining to even the score. The Americans took their first lead four minutes later as first-year player, AJ Prioli utilized the power play to secure his second goal of the season with assistance from Ethan Miller, who tacked on his fifth assist and Gordon Jennings was awarded his seventh helper. The period saw Great Falls accumulated 19 of the 27 shots-on-goal.
Great Falls would add on to their lead in the third frame with Cooper Clouse acquiring his second goal while Ethan Miller and AJ Prioli each gathering their second assist of the game. The Ameriacans third goal occurred with 8:22 left. With under one minute remaining, Jaxen Savage, one of four Canadians on the roster, scored his third goal. Keegan Hanson, a Fargo, North Dakota product, provided his first assist in his 16th game with Great Falls.
Both NA3HL clubs created 14 total shots apiece in the first and third periods. Great Falls registered 19 shots and held Gillette to 8 in the middle period.
Great Falls went 1-for-4 on the power play with six minutes spent in the sin bin. The Wild converted one of their two power play chances for a goal.
Kaden Rhyder, who recorded 21 saves, allowed one goal in the first period and played flawlessly in the second and third periods for his third win (3-2-1-0). Austin Trieber, one of two goaltenders (Wylen Cranbensy) returing from the 2024-25 season, saw his record drop to 5-2-1-1 in his eight appearance this year, finished with 30 saves.
NOTES: Americans netminder Kaden Rhyder was the Frontier Division Star of the Week ending October 26th, 2025. The Pennsylvania netminder combined for 74 saves in home victories over the Sheridan (WY) Hawks (3-1) and the Yellowstone (WY) Quake (7-1) during last week’s Frontier Division clashes on the ice.
After Friday’s win against Gillette, his three wins all came in October over the three NA3HL teams based in Wyoming (Yellowstone Quake, Gillette, Wild and Sheridan Hawks).
During last weekend’s pair of home games, the Great Falls Americans teamed up with Benefis Sletten Cancer Institute to help raise awareness for breast cancer with their annual “Think Pink for the GIrls” nights and they offered two auction items that are still up for bid through Monday, November 3rd.
The items include a #1 Fan special edition Pink jersey signed by the members of the Americans team and a signed and framed 8″ X 10″ photo of the Americans wearing their pink jerseys.
The DASH activation auction can be viewed by clicking here.
AMERICANS E-NEWSLETTERS: The Americans have two email newsletters for fans to receive in their inbox this season. Kevin Scott, the Americans Media Coordinator, has an Americans E-Newsletter that you can get on Sunday’s during the regular season filled with game summaries, press releases, links, schedule, etc. Click here to subscribe (if you haven’t already).
Americans Owner Matt Leaf creates and sends out a weekly email called “Baldy’s Puck Drop” that features team news, player profile, sponsor information and lots of other tidbits relating to Americans hockey that is published on Thursday mornings. Click here to receive the weekly newsletter (if you haven’t already).
NEXT CONTEST: The Gillette (WY) Wild and the Great Falls Americans will tangle for the third time this season on Saturday, November 1st at 7:05PM (MST) live from the Spirit Hall Ice Arena in Gillette, Wyoming. NATV is where fans can catch the contest. Both squads will meet in Great Falls on February 13th at 7:05PM, February 28th at 7:35PM (MST) and March 1st at 1;05PM (MST).
Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom (1101 7th Street South) is the place to be after Friday and Saturday night home games where the Americans invite their fans and supporters to their post-game dinner.
Buffalo Wild Wings, located at 17 Northwest Bypass in Great Falls, hosts the “Americans Watch Party” this season when the Americans are on the road. Fans are invited to get food and drinks and watch the game.
NATV is the NA3HL’s new streaming platform and is the place to catch all the action for fans that are unable to attend the home and away games this season. Click here to learn more about how to view any of the Americans home and away contests.
For complete schedules/results, promotions, team stats, rosters and much more information, please go to our official website: www.greatfallsamericans.com
The Great Falls Americans recently had their annual Halloween Party. Photos are below.
