By Kevin Scott
| Box Score | Game Sheet | League Scoreboard | Americans Team Statistics |
CODY, Wyo., October 14, 2017 — Following Great Falls’ 3-1 setback to the Yellowstone Quake on Friday night, Great Falls knew they had to change things offensively.
The Americans scored one goal in each of the three periods to force an overtime against the Wyoming NA3HL club. Adam Vandenbos registered three out of the four goals including the overtime game-winner to boost Great Falls to their seventh victory (7-1-1-0). The 4-3 win started a new win streak for the Montana squad.
Yellowstone’s Kobe Kitagawa needed 18 seconds to find the back of the net to begin the second game of the series. Mason Stewart and Cole Stewart were each credited with one assist. Kody Thomas evened the game at 1-1 off the feed from Michael Fary, who collected his sixth assist of the season with five minutes on the clock in the first period. Riley Buller’s goal a few minutes later put the host team ahead 2-1. The power play goal was set up by Cole Stewart and Jack Moore.
Adam Vandenbos helped the Americans tie it up with is lone score during the middle period. Both offenses struggled to produce any more points. Payton McSharry and Matt Janke earned the assists. Yellowstone took an 40-36 advantage on shots taken after the first forty minutes.
Both teams netted goals during the last period of regulation. Ian Doner gave Yellowstone a brief 3-2 advantage at the midway point of the period. Cole Stewart chipped in his third assist while Riley Buller added his first. Great Falls waited until the last 1:03 to tie the NA3HL game at 3-3 when Adam Vandenbos received his third goal for a hat-trick. Matt Janke and Brandon Peterson were responsible for getting the puck to Vandenbos to send the contest into overtime.
Just 93 seconds into the extra frame, Vandenbos got the puck between the pipes on an assist from Brandon Peterson for the game-winner over Quake goalie Reid Waszczenko, suffered the overtime loss.
Great Falls earned the weekend split despite being out-shot by Wyoming 60-44.
The visiting team was called for eight infractions while Yellowstone committed two. Great Falls failed to register any goals off their two power play chances. Two of the three goals scored by the Quake were via power play opportunities.
Bryan Sharp played 61 minutes in the net for the Americans and recorded 57 saves including two crucial saves in the five-minute overtime. Reid Waszczenko made 40 saves for Yellowstone.
NEXT CONTEST: After going 2-1 on their road trip to Bozeman, Montana and Cody, Wyoming, Great Falls returns to the friendly confines of the Great Falls Ice Plex to face the Gillette (WY) Wild for a two-game series on October 20th and 21st. Action on the ice starts at 7:30PM.