By Kevin Scott
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CODY, Wyo., February 3, 2018 — Riley Arena, the home ice of the NA3HL’s Yellowstone Quake, hasn’t been all that bad for Great Falls this season when they come to town to play the Yellowstone Quake.
Great Falls Americans (25-10-2) has won two out of four away games against the Quake in that facility but is winless in two games at the Great Falls Ice Plex.
Payton McSharry scored two goals and Adam Vandenbos dished out two assists as Great Falls needed overtime to pick up a 2-1 victory over the Yellowstone Quake in their final regular season meeting in Wyoming on Saturday night. Drew Scites also contributed 56 saves in the net for the Americans.
Timo Pelto score the first and only goal for the Yellowstone Quake during the opening stanza. Pelto’s 19th goal of the season came with 6:47 remaining. Cole Stewart and Ian Doner gathered the assists to give the home team an early one-goal advantage. The Quake also led in the shot-on-goal category, 19-8.
Late in the middle period, Americans standout Payton McSharry evened the score (1-1) when his goal from Adam Vandenbos and Trent Cowden flew by Yellowstone goaltender Jonatan Persson for McSharry’s 19th goal of the season. The defense by both squads proved invaluable as neither offense could get in the scoring column after the first intermission. After two periods, Yellowstone racked up 38 shots while holding Great Falls to 23.
Despite Great Falls taking just five shots and Yellowstone attempting 18, neither team scored during the third stanza culminating with an extra five-minute overtime period.
It took 1:05 into the extra period for Great Falls to ring up the game-winning tally by Payton McSharry off the stick of forward Adam Vandenbos as the Americans celebrated their 25th victory of the season. Each team made one shot attempt with McSharry’s shot being successful.
The 310 spectators in attendance saw both teams combine for five penalties. Great Falls was whistled for four minor penalties. Yellowstone had three power play opportunities that went unsuccessful.
Yellowstone created 57 shot attempts in the 61-minute contest, which was nearly double of what the Americans produced (29).
Drew Scites was unstoppable for Great Falls with his 56 saves. Sweden native Jonatan Persson, who suffered the overtime loss for the Quake, prevented 27 of the 29 shots from going into the net.
NEXT CONTEST: The road trip continues for the Great Falls Americans next weekend (Feb. 9-10) when they head to Bozeman, Montana to challenge the Ice Dogs. The contests at Haynes Pavilions is slated to start at 7:30PM each night.