For the second consecutive night, the #3 Great Falls Americans (4-2-0-0) and the #1 Helena Bighorns (5-1-0-0) faced off against each other.
Entering this weekend, Great Falls had three victories in four games but on Friday (September 20) the Americans faltered on the road against the defending NA3HL National Champions from last season.
Ty O’Bey’s opening period goal gave the Americans a quick advantage three minutes into the contest. The Bighorns offense took off with seven consecutive scoring drives in the final 57 minutes winning 7-1 at Steed Arena. Finn Theriault racked up two goals in the Bighorn’s fifth straight win.
Great Falls was looking to spoil the Bighorns weekend sweep by stealing a game at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday night.
The #3 Great Falls Americans never trailed against the top-ranked Helena Bighorns on Saturday night at the Great Falls Ice Plex as they scored a late goal in the third period to earn the 3-2 UPSET victory against the defending NA3HL Fraser Cup National Champions from 2023. Despite a failed comeback bid by the Bighorns, Great Falls defeated Helena for the first time in two years. Great Falls edged the Helena Bighorns 3-2 in Great Falls on January 28, 2022. Great Falls was the first opponent to defeat the Bighorns so far this season.
Great Falls Americans played a great first period scoring one goal and not allowing any from the Helena Bighorns. Great Falls forward Easton Kennedy attacked the net and scored his fourth goal of the season over Helena netminder Jeremy Carpenter with 8:46 on the clock. Ty O’Bey and Cal Laggis each earned their third assist of the year. Both teams totaled 20 shots-on-goal.
In the second period, the home team lit up the lamp to increase their lead (2-0) on n a goal by Sebe Perez. Perez’s first goal of the season occurred on a power play with helpers from newcomers Blayne Jusczak and Keegan Hanson five minutes into the stanza. Helena needed 28 minutes of game time before they put the puck in the net. Finn Theriault, the Bighorns leading scorer, gathered his ninth goal with eight minutes remaining off the stick of Kelton Chadwick, who secured his eighth assist. Finn Theriault’s offensive attack continued, and he answered 69 seconds (tenth goal) later with the game-tying goal with assistance from Kelton Chadwick and Hunter Coulombe. Both goals by the visitors came with Great Falls in the sin bin.
Cal Laggis’ goal set up by Ty O’Bey and Garren Narvaez with four minutes remaining served as the game-winning score to help the Americans break their drought against their Montana rivals.
Great Falls outshot Helena 20-15 in the second period and took one more shot (35-34) before the final buzzer sounded in the final period of regulation.
The heated rivalry saw ten minor infractions resulting in 20 minutes of penalty time. Both squads capitalized on two of their power play opportunities while the opposition was in the penalty box.
Kaden Rhyder improved to 4-2 on the season by stopping 42 shots for Great Falls. Helena’s Tyler Miller registered 32 saves in his first loss in three appearances.
