NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (above, https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the photos.
By Kevin Scott
2026 NA3HL Frontier DIvison Playoffs and Fraser Cup Tournament Information
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Score Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
GREAT FALLS, Mont., March 15, 2026 — The #3 Great Falls Americans (31-14-3-1, 66 pts.) now have two chances to claim another victory over the #2 Helena Bighorns (35-13-1-0, 71 pts.) after hanging on for a 5-4 win at Steed Arena in Helena, Montana during Friday’s Game 1 of the 2026 NA3HL Fraser Cup Playoffs (Frontier Division Semi-Finals).
NOTE: Due to the severe weather conditions that has made Interstate-15 between Great Falls and Helena to be closed both ways on Saturday, the NA3HL Fraser Cup Playoff game (Game 2 of the Frontier DIvision Semi-Finals) between the Great Falls Americans and the Helena Bighorns was POSTPONED until Sunday, March 15th with the puck dropping at 2:05PM (MST) at the Great Falls Ice Plex. All fans that had purchased tickets for Saturday’s game online were still good for Sunday’s tilt.
The win on Sunday afternoon in Great Falls would give them a spot in the Frontier Division Finals where they will face the #1 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (36-10-2-1, 73 pts.). A loss would mean they would have to travel back to Helena, Montana for the “winner-take-all” Game 3 on Monday evening at 7:05PM (MST).
During the first game of the Frontier Divisional Semi-Finals taking place in Helena’s Steed Arena, the visiting team scored two goals and allowed one as AJ Prioli and Reid Lezubski both scored for Great Falls in the first twenty minutes. Helena’s Cal Kellenberg also scored before the first break. The Americans had trouble getting their offense going as they were outscord 3-1. Maddux Hale, Lincoln Kearney and Chase Berg each lit up the lamp in the middle stanza for the host team while Great Falls’ Gavin Denis contributed his first playoff goal of the season. Helena led 4-3 with one regulation period remaining. Great Falls was able to hold Helena’s offense scoreless in the third frame while accumulating two goals by Ethan Miller and Colton Bacon to post a 5-4 win. Kaden Rhyder got his ffrst playoff win in the net by swatting away 48 shots. Andrew Blake allowed five goals and finished with 20 saves (game story).
The top two finishers in each of the six NA3HL divisions (East, West, Frontier, South, Southeast and Central) meet in the 2026 NA3HL Divisional Finals in a best-of-three series starting next week. The Sheridan (WY) Hawks won their series with the Badlands (SD) Sabres on Friday evening and advanecd to the Frontier Division Finals against either Great Falls or Helena.
The winning team in each of the divisions will be invited to play at the 2026 NA3HL Fraser Cup (National) Championships slated to start on March 22-29, 2026, in St Peters, Missouri at the St. Peters Rec Plex. The national tournament features each team playing two (round robin) games followed by a semifinal round (two games) and the national championship game.
Helena’s Lincoln Kearney scored twice and Great Falls Americans standout AJ Prioli had a hat trick (3 goals) but the Great Falls Americans fell 4-3 in overtime in Game 2 of the Fraser Cup Playoffs: Frontier Division Semi-Finals on Sunday afternoon in Great Falls, Montana. The win by Helena forces Game Three to take place inside Steed Arena, the home of the Helena Bighorns on Monday night.
Lincoln Kearney scored the first of his two goal in the first period. The visiting Bighorns broke the scoreless tie with 5:49 remaining before the first intermission as Caden Feinstein and Austin Tyler received the first assists of the game. The Bighorns allowed the Americans to take five shots and controlled the first period tempo by taking 15 shots.
Great Falls’ AJ Prioli answered by scoring two goals. Prioli’s first score came four minutes into the middle frame off a pass from Cooper Clouse and Fisher Hannesson. The 1-1 score lasted less than two minutes before the Bighorns jumped back out in front on a Austin Uecker scoring drive. Caden Feinstein and Mason Smith set up Helena’s second goal. AJ Prioli evened the game (2-2) with his slapshot score off the stick of Cooper Clouse and Bryce Webb with a minute left in the period.
After scoring a goal in the first twenty minutes, Lincoln Kearney found the back of the net for the 3-2 advantage with fifteen minutes left. Braden Davis and Maddux Hale were credited with the third scoring drive of the night for the Americans rivals. AJ Prioli scored seven minutes after Helena’s score for the third tie of the game. Cooper Clouse picked up his second assist and fourth of the playoffs while Ethan Miller assisted on his first of the game and second in the playoffs. The Americans goal proved to be the goal that would send it to overtime. In the playoffs, there is a 20-minute overtime period (instead of the five-minute extra frame in the regular season). The Bighorns took ten more shots (43-33) than the Americans in the sixty minute regulation period.
In overtime, Cameron Kimmerly was able to get the puck in the net for the game-winning tally to force a third game on Monday night in Helena for the right to move on to Frontier Division Finals against the Sheridan (WY) Hawks. Caden Feinstein made his third assist of the afternoon and Joe Viox had the secondary assist
Helena outshot Great Falls in the first and second periods before Great Falls won the shots-on-goal category, 17-15 in the third frame.
Both teams had a combined four power play chances go unanswered with eight minutes spent in the penalty box.
On Sunday afternoon, Andrew Blake (16-4-1-1) outdueled Great Falls’ Kaden Rhyder (18-6-1-1) in the net. Blake made 31 saves in 34 attempts while Rhyder redirected 42 shots.
NEXT CONTEST: The Helena Bighorns will host the Great Falls Americans for Game 3 of the 2026 NA3HL Frontier Division Semi-Finals on Monday, March 16, 2026 starting at 7:05PM (MST) live from Steed Arena in Helena, Montana. The winning team will move on to the Frontier Division Finals to play the top-seeded Sheridan (WY) Hawks, who downed the Badlands (SD) Sabres in two games of their best-of-three series. NATV will provide the coverage of Game 3.
NOTES: The following eight Great Falls Americans (2005 birth year) are “aging out” of junior hockey after the 2025-26 season concludes. We thank them for playing with the Americans and wish them success in the next chapter of their lives.
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#4 Brennan Pierce Derry, New Hampshire 78 Junior Hockey Games 13 games with the Americans |
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#10 Ethan Miller Mount Pleasant, PA 91 Junior Hockey Games 33 games with the Americans |
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#15 Fisher Hannesson (Captain) Fargo, North Dakota 86 Junior Hockey Games All 86 with the Americans |
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#16 Jarod Lemieux Geraldton, Ontario 64 Junior Hockey Games 32 games with the Americans |
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#19 Keegan Hanson Fargo, North Dakota 88 Junior Hockey Games All 88 with the Americans |
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#27 Cooper Clouse (Assistant Captain) West Fargo, North Dakota 75 Junior Hockey Games 65 games with the Americans |
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#28 AJ Prioli Weymouth, Massachusetts 112 Junior Hockey Games 28 games with the Americans |
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#1 Kaden Rhyder Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania 87 Junior Hockey Games All 87 with the Americans |
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).
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