NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (above, https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the photo.
By Kevin Scott
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CODY, Wyo., October 3, 2025 — The Great Falls Americans (3-4-0-1) have played three teams (of eight overall teams in the Frontier Division) over the first month of the 2025-26 NA3HL season with contests against the Helena Bighorns, Bozeman Ice Dogs, and the South Dakota-based Badlands Sabres.
On Friday, they made their first overnight trip to Cody, Wyoming to challenge the winless Yellowstone Quake (0-7-0-0) who are led by new head coach Gaetano Moirano with three returning players from the 2024-25 season with Preston Mushlock, Tucker Sarkisian and Sam Goulden back from last season. The Quake have played the Bozeman Ice Dogs (two games), Sheridan (WY) Hawks (two games), and the Gillette (WY) Wild once in September.
Last season, Great Falls (29-17-4-2) won all four matchups and outscored the Quake, 35-6 as the Wyoming club struggled to find ways to win on the scoreboard (1-45-1-0 overall record).
The Americans were seeking their third win in eight games.
Reid Lezubski scored two goals and goaltender Cole Murphy stopped all 32 shots as the Great Falls Americans blanked the Yellowstone (WY) Quake, 5-0 on Friday night in Cody, Wyoming for their third victory.
A slow first period for both squads as Great Falls and Yellowstone combined for 19 shots and one minor penalty during the scoreless frame.
In the second period, Great Falls scored two unanswered goals during the last six minutes of the stanza to take a two-goal lead over the Quake. Forward Gavin Denis found the back of the net for the third time this season with Jarod Lemieux and Colton Bacon earning the assists with 5:49 on the clock. Canadian Reid Lezubski scored his first goal in an Americans uniform with Logan Mese and Fisher Hannesson each tacking on their first assists with under two minutes remaining before the second intermission. Each team had one minor infraction.
The Americans scored quickly (12 seconds) to open the third period. Reid Lezubski put the biscuit in the basket again with a second assist by Logan Mese while Wyatt Hanna provided his first. The visiting team led 4-0 seven minutes later when Arizona native Wyatt Hanna got the puck by Yellowstone netminder Damen Baxter. Logan Mese provided his third assist of the game after scoring the overtime game-winning goal last Saturday (Sept. 27) in overtime (4-3) against the Helena Bighorns. Great Falls native Jase Troyer was credited with his first helper. The Americans added a final goal as EJ Sanchez found Logan Mese for Great Falls’ fifth lamplighter of the game before the final buzzer sounded. Wyatt Hanna gathered his second assist of the period (third overall).
Great Falls accrued 25 of their 51 shots-on-goal during the middle frame. Most of Yellowstone’s shots taken against Great Falls netminder Cole Murphy came after the first period. The Quake tallied 28 of their 32 shots after the first intermission.
Reid Lezubski scored one goal apiece in the second and third periods while Logan Mese assisted on four of the five Americans scoring drives and Wyatt Hanna registered two assists in the final period.
Eight total power play opportunites were turned away by both Frontier Division opponents.
In his fourth start, Cole Murphy picked up his third victory as the Americans netminder (3-1-0-0) by swatting away all 32 shots by Yellowstone’s offense. Damen Baxter, a first-year goalie for the Quake, made 46 saves in his seventh defeat.
NOTES: The Americans are currently offering their fans to purchase a customized version of both their
home (white) and blue (away) Jersey that the players are wearing this season. The jersey’s are customizeable by size, name on back, and jersey number. This one time opporunity will end on October 9th with production time being 4-6 weeks with plenty of time to arrive before the holiday season. The jerseys listed as $110.00 each can be purchased by clicking here. Fans can also purchase other apparel, items, and gear on their online team store.
The Americans Booster Club is raffling off a Remote Controlled Zamboni Cooler with the ticket drawn at the October 25th contest against the Yellowstone (WY) Quake. Tickets are $10.00 each. Click here for more information. To purchase tickets, please see any of the Booster Club members at any of the home games or contact Adam Stanczak (406-564-6771).
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 Americans will remain in Cody, Wyoming for the second game of their weekend doubleheader with the Yellowstone (WY) Quake with the action at Riley Arena starting at 7:05PM (MST) on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Great Falls and Yellowstone will tangle on the ice twice more after Saturday’s tilt during the month of October with another game in Wyoming on Saturday, October 11th (7:05PM) followed by a head-to-head meeting in Great Falls, Montana on Saturday, October 25th (7:05PM) at the Great Falls Ice Plex. NA3HL coverage between the Americans and Quake as well as all the games in the NA3HL can be seen during the 2025-26 season 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