NOTE: A Special Thanks to Michael Noel (above, https://mnoelphotography.smugmug.com) for providing the photo.
By Kevin Scott
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GREAT FALLS, Mont., December 31, 2025 — The Great Falls Americans (18-10-1-1) and the Butte Irish (8-21-0-0) are fresh off their Christmas break and their annual trip to Blaine, Minnesota for December’s NA3HL Showcase Tournament. Great Falls and Butte each went 1-2-0-0 at ther prestigious tournament where many college scouts were in attendance. Great Falls won their opener at the Minnesota tournament by claiming a 4-3 win over the Austin (TX) Ice Bats before falling in their final two games to the Alexandria (MN) Blizzard, 4-1 and then suffered a 4-2 setback to the Mason City (IA) Toros to conclude the tournament. Meanwhile, the Irish struggled with a pair of losses to the Peoria (IL) Mustangs (5-2) and the Minnesota Wilderness (9-2) but managed a 3-1 win over the Carolina (SC) Rage.
Both squads met in Butte, Montana for two games in November where Great Falls came up on the winning side in both appearances. Great Falls won 7-3 on November 14th and then downed the Irish, 4-3 on November 29th. In their first meeting, the Americans raced out to a 6-2 lead before the second intermission and each team scored once in the third. Ethan Miller finished with a hat trick (3 goals) and teammate Reid Lezubski ended the game with two goals for Great Falls. In their previous meeting on November 29th, the game was closer as the Americans and Irish each scored three goals after two periods but it was Gordon Jennings lamplighter in the third that was the difference maker.
Wednesday was the first head-to-head meeting of the season in Great Falls between these two Montana junior hockey opponents as both teams looked to put another win in the NA3HL Frontier Division standings on New Year’s Eve.
The Americans celebrated after defeating the Butte Irish, 6-2 on New Year’s Eve. Photo Credit: Great Falls Americans Facebook
AJ Prioli scored all three of his goals during the second period and Cooper Clouse assisted on four of the six goals for the Americans as they easily defeated the Butte Irish, 6-2 on New Year’s Eve at the Great Falls Ice Plex. Loghan Weber scored both goals and Easton Langemo and Bryce Hodges assisted on both goals for the Irish.
Ethan Miller broke the scoreless tie seven minutes into the first period to give the Americans the early 1-0 lead. AJ Prioli collected his 13th assist while Cooper Clouse, the Americans team leader in assists, made his 32nd of the season for head coach Greg Sears’ second place Frontier Division team. Both squads combined for 28 shots-on-goal and no penalties.
After trailing the Americans in the first stanza, the Irish evened the score (1-1) with eleven minutes left into the second period when Easton Langemo and Bryce Hodges found Loghan Weber who put the puck between the pipes while the Americans were in the sin bin. Great Falls regained the lead back from Butte five minutes later. AJ Prioli drove down the lane and put the puck in the net for his ninth goal. Ethan Miller and Cooper Clouse provided the assists on the Americans second scoring drive of the game. Prioli was just getting started offensively as the Massachusetts forward scored two more goals in 29 seconds to earn the hat trick. Ethan Miller and Cooper Clouse recorded two more assists as Great Falls took a 4-1 advantage over their Montana rivals.
In the third frame, Butte’s Loghan Weber scored his second goal of the game with assistance from Easton Langemo and Bryce Hodges to cut the deficit to 4-2 with 8:29 remaining in regulation. The Irish scored their second goal with the Americans down a man (penalty). Two minutes later, Great Falls scored their fifth goal on a lampllighter by Jaxen Savage, who tallied his sixth goal. Tallon Caron and Wyatt Rust picked up the assists. After Butte took out their goaltender (Blake Drost) to add another offensive player, Great Falls took advantage and connected on an empty net score with two minutes remaining. Jase Troyer and Keegan Hanson each tacked on their third assist when Wyatt Hanna buried the puck in the open net.
Great Falls outshot Butte in the first two periods to finish with 48. Butte made 22 of their 33 shots before the second intermission.
Butte went 2-for-4 on the power play by scoring both goals with Great Falls in the penalty box after the first period. The Americans could not find a way to score on their only power play chance.
The Americans offense went through AJ Prioli (three goals, one assist), Ethan Miller (one goal, three assists) and Cooper Clouse (four assists) to help the host team get their 18th win in 30 contests. Butte, coached by Marc Brodeur, received two goals from Loghan Weber and two assists apiece from Easton Langemo and Bryce Hodges.
Kaden Rhyder (8-4-0-1) played all sixty minutes and prevented 31 of the 33 shots he faced from getting by him for the home team. He is now 2-0-0-0 against Butte this season. Boise, Idaho goaltender, Blake Drost (43 saves) is now 0-4-0-0 in five games with the Irish.
NOTES: The Great Falls Americans are back after their Christmas break. The team returned from seeing friends and family after the 2025 NA3HL Showcase (December 15-17) concluded in Blaine, Minnesota where the team went 1-2 with a single victory over the Austin (TX) Ice Bats (4-3) and a pair of setbacks to the Alexandria (MN) Blizzard (4-1) and the Mason City (IA) Toros (4-2).
On Saturday, December 27th, the team made their second annual trip up to Havre, Montana (100 miles) for “Hockey Day in Havre” where they had a team practice and three age-appropriate skill sessions with the local Havre Youth Hockey players. The trip was a way for the team to promote their upcoming game in Havre on February 7th when they battle the Butte Irish at 7:05PM (MST).
The “12 Days of Christmas” DASH winners were announced recently. In December, the Americans drew one winner each day from Dec. 13-24 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.
Fans can find the list of winners of this DASH event, information about the team Christmas Party at the Elks Club in Great Falls and another special edition jersey being auctioned off inside this week’s “Baldy’s Puck Drop” Newsletter. 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 and Butte will meet again on Saturday, January 3rd live from the Butte Community Ice Center in Butte, Montana starting at 7:30PM (MST). The game will be streamed on NATV.
Great Falls will be back at the Great Falls Ice Plex for a two-game series with the Sheridan (WY) Hawks on January 9-10 starting at 7:05PM (MST) both nights.
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