By Kevin Scott
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BLAINE, Minn., December 16, 2025 — The Great Falls Americans (17-10-1-1, 2nd in Frontier Division) capped off the 2025 NA3HL Showcase Tournament on Tuesday morning in Blaine, Minnesota by playing against their second West Division opponent.
On Monday, the Alexandria (MN) Blizzard (West Division) defeated the Americans, 4-1. Great Falls started the tournament on Sunday with a 4-3 victory over the Austin (TX) Ice Bats (South Division).
The Iowa-based Mason City Toros were the opponents for Tuesday’s tournament finale for Great Falls. The New Mexico Ice Wolves topped the Toros to open the tournament on Sunday, 5-3 but the Toros offense erupted on Monday for an 11-0 win over the Binghamton (NY) Buzz.
Prior to Tuesday’s affair, Great Falls and Mason City had never faced each other on the ice.
Stone Resch added two goals to lead the Mason City (IA) Toros to a 4-2 decision over the Great Falls Americans on Tuesday morning at the NSC Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota to conclude the three-day NA3HL Showcase Tournament. Wyatt Hanna and Reid Lezubski scored in teh first and third periods, respectively for the Americans.
The Americans scored one of the three goals during the first twenty minutes. Wyatt Hanna, off the stick of Gavin Denis, got the puck in the net over Toros netminder Ty Tanton two minutes into the contest. Great Falls led for the next ten minutes before Mason City scored two goals in 81 seconds. Cooper Hedin and Stone Resch each buried the puck in the net for head coach Alex North’s squad. Mason Buchanon assited on Hedin’s score with 7:46 remaining while Kellen Kantaris on Resch’s scoring drive to give the Toros a 2-1 lead at the first intermission. Mason City’s offense outshot the Americans, 21-8. Resch’s goal with 6:25 left on the clock occurred whiile the Ameriacns were in the penalty box.
The second period was mostly quiet on the scoreboard with Mason City’s Marek Gallenberger lighting up the lamp for the 3-1 advantage. Forwards Luke Gustafson and TJ Gibson setting up the Toros second successful power play opportunity.
In the third period, Reid Lezubski pulled the Americans to within one goal (3-2) when his slapshot off the stick of Cooper Clouse was sent into the back of the net. The Iowa NA3HL franchise put the game away with a second goal by Stone Resch midway through the final period. Weston Bohlman tacked on the assist.
After Mason City took 21 shots in the first period, they combined for 22 over the second and third stanzas for a total of 43 shots. The Americans offense produced 29 of their 37 shots after the first intermission.
One of the differences in the contest was that Mason City capitalized on two of their seven power play chances as Stone Resch’s first period score and Marek Gallenberger’s second period scoring drive. The Americans let seven power play opprtunities slip away.
Ty Tanton, a native of Omaha, Nebraska finished the tournament for the Toros with two straight victories for an overall record of 4-3-1-0 in nine appearances. He amasssed 35 saves in 60 minutes. Kaden Rhyder (7-4-0-1) got his second start in the tournament for the Americans on Tuesday. Two days after helping the Americans to a 4-3 wn over the Austin (TX) Ice Bats by gatheirng 22 ssves, he swatted away 39 shots in the loss. The Pennsylvania netminder finished the tournament with one win and one loss.
The Frontier Division finished the tournament on Tuesday with a 2-6 record including Helena’s 2-1 win over the St. Louis Jr. Blues and Badlands 10-2 win over New Hampshire Jr. Mountain Kings.
The three-day tournament concluded for all the Frontier Division teams. The Yellowstone Quake (2-0-1-0) and Badlands Sabres (1-1-0-1) led the way with the other six clubs (Gillette Wild, Sheridan Hawks, Butte Irish, Helena Bighorns, Great Falls Americans, Bozeman Ice Dogs) going 1-2.
Fans can view the full tournament game summaries for Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at the NA3HL Showcase Tournament.
NOTES: The Americans are having their “12 Days of Christmas” event where the team will draw one winner
each day from December 13-24 through the DASH activation. Fans can also purchase a special edition Baldy Christmas Ornament through DASH. Check back on our social media pages to see if you are a winner!
For more information about upcoming events, please view the FREE “Baldy’s Puck Drop” weekly Newsletter (register below). 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 get a two-week holiday break before their next game. The Butte Irish will be at the Great Falls Ice Plex for a New Year’s Eve (December 31) showdown with the Americans hosting. The puck will drop at 6:05PM (MST) at the Great Falls Ice Plex. On Saturday, January 3rd, the Irish will play host to the Americans starting at 7:30PM (MST) from the Butte Community Ice Center in Butte, Montana. NATV will provide the streaming coverage for both contests.
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