NOTE: A Special Thanks to Great Falls Americans Facebook for providing the photo.
By Kevin Scott
| Box Score |
Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
BUTTE, Mont.., November 29, 2025 — The Great Falls Americans (15-8-1-1) were hoping to pick up the weekend split after falling at home to the Helena BIghorns, 7-4 on Friday as they traveled to Butte, Montana for a Frontier Division clash with the Butte Irish (7-16-0-0) on Saturday.
In the first meeting between these two Montana NA3HL opponents, Great Falls cruised to a 7-3 romp over the Irish at the Butte Community Ice Center on November 14th. American forwards Ethan Miller and Reid Lezubski combined for five goals and four assists and goaltender Kaden Rhyder recorded 38 saves. Loghan Weber led the Irish with two goals in the loss.
After Saturday’s matchup, Great Falls and Butte will meet six more times before the 2025-26 NA3HL regular season comes to an end in March 2026 with four of them being played at the Great Falls Ice Plex.
The Great Falls Americans won their second straight contest against the Butte Irish on Saturday night in Butte, Montana as they hung on for a 4-3 victory at the Butte Community Ice Center. Gordon Jennings paced the visiting team with two goals and netminder Cole Murphy responded with 42 saves to get his seventh win of the season.
After Kiefer Lundmark scored on an unasssted tally to give the Americans the early 1-0 advantage, Butte had successful scoring drives by Andrew James and Zach Bucholt to put the Irish in front, 2-1 after the first twenty minutes.
After the Americans regrouped during the first intermission, AJ Prioli, who scored twice in Friday’s game with Helena, continued his scoring with his eighth goal of the season to even the score (2-2) within the first three minutes of the second stanza. Gordon Jennings, off a pass from Cooper Clouse, gave the Americans their first lead ten minutes after the Prioli goal as Butte was in the penalty box. The Irish offense would not go away as Tyler Jones with help from Easton Langemo tied the game 37 seconds after the Americans third scoring drive. Both teams went into the locker room with three goals apiece. The Americans outshot the Irish in each of the first two periods.
Gordon Jennings provided the eventual game-winning goal midway through the third frame for Great Falls. The unassisted play was made possible by a minor slashing penalty called on Butte.
Both NA3HL clubs finished with 45 shots apiece with Butte holding a 15-12 edge in the third period.
Gordon Jennings capitalized on goals in the second and third periods while Butte was in the sin bin. The visitors went 2-for-2 on the power play after the sixty minute contest concluded. The Irish had two power play chances go unanswered.
A 42 save performance from Cole Murphy gave the Americans goaltender his seventh win (7-3-1-0). Meanwhile, Blake Drost, who allowed four goals including two in the middle period, finished with 40 saves. Drost is now 0-2 after two appearances for Butte this season.
Great Falls and the Helena BIghorns have traded places in the Frontier DIvision standings the past two weeks. Great Falls suffered a home loss to Helena on Friday. With Great Falls’ win on Saturday and the Bighorns 3-2 setback to the Bozeman Ice Dogs on Saturday, the Americans are back in the #2 spot and Helena is now #3.
NOTES: In recent weeks, the Americans have helped the Great Falls Optimist Club with unloading Christmas trees for them to sell at their Christmas sale and players Fisher Hannesson, Jase Troyer, and Gavin Denis along with Riley Hattan participated in the Special Olympics of Montana Polar Plunge program at Lincoln Elementary in Great Falls. This week, they will be at Sacajawea Elementary for their Polar Plunge program.
Americans goaltender Cole Murphy received “3rd Star” Frontier Division Star of the Week honors from his performance last week at home against the Yellowstone Quake. He dominated the Quake in the net by stopping all 27 shots with the Americans prevailing 5-0 on Saturday, November 22nd.
The Americans have three upcoming DASH activations including the Military Jersey Auction and the Russell Country Federal Credit Union’s
“Jersey Off Our Back” night with the proceeds going to the Josh Huestis Foundation, a local non-profit that supports youth programs. Josh was a former C.M. Russell High School (Great Falls) basketball player and Stanford University graduate who spent time playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Oklahoma CIty Thunder. Use the QR Code on the right to get activated with these auctions. The Americans will also be having a “12 Days of Christmas” activation opens on December 1st with one winner drawn each day from December 13-24. Fans can purchase a special edition Baldy Christmas Ornament through DASH.
At our December 6th home game versus Bozeman, we will be having a Teddy Bear Toss. For more information, please view the FREE “Baldy’s Puck Drop” weekly Newsletter (register below) for more information and upcoming events. You can also view the newsletters online by clicking here as well.
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: Great Falls will be in Helena, Montana for a contest against the Bighorns on Friday, December 5th before returning home to face the Bozeman Ice Dogs on Saturday, December 6th. Both games begin at 7:05PM (MST) live on NATV.
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