During their first two weeks of the 2024-25 NA3HL junior hockey regular season, the Great Falls Americans (3-1-0-0), currently ranked #2 in the Frontier Division behind the Helena Bighorns, have acquired victories over the Sheridan (WY) Hawks (winning one of their two encounters) and the Bozeman Ice Dogs (0-2-0-0).
Great Falls forward Ty O’Bey scored two goals and goaltender Kaden Rhyder picked up his second win of the season in the net as he stopped 29 shots by Bozeman Ice Dogs offense in a 5-2 victory on the road on Friday night. Seth Hanson, from Billings, Montana and Lex Steckelberg accounted for both scoring drives for the Bozeman Ice Dogs. Brett DeVincent made 28 saves in his first appearance for Bozeman.
The Americans played their third home game this season as they faced the Bozeman Ice Dogs for the first time this season.
Ty O’Bey scored his fifth and sixth goal of the season while goaltender Kaden Rhyder stopped 32 of 33 shots as the #2 Great Falls Americans swept the weekend series with the #7 Bozeman Ice Dogs by posting a 4-1 victory at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday evening. Great Falls has now won three of their four games heading into their upcoming showdown with the undefeated Helena Bighorns (4-0) on Friday.
Despite Bozeman taking 16 of the 25 shots, Great Falls led 2-0 before the first intermission. Zac Orwig connected for his third goal of the season off the stick of Sebe Perez six minutes into the Americans fourth game of the year. While the Ice Dogs were in the sin bin with two minutes remaining, Ty O’Bey took advantage of a power play and made his fifth lamplighter with help from Aiden Kennedy.
Americans scored twice before the halfway point of the middle stanza. Easton Kennedy’s slapshot that went passed Bozeman netminder Jack Ryan increased the lead for the home team (3-0). Zac Orwig assisted on the power play scoring opportunity. Americans standout Ty O’Bey continued to produce on the offensive end as he received a pass from Garren Narvaez and Aiden Kennedy with the Ice Dogs in the penalty box for the Americans fourth score with 10:49 left. Minutes later, Preston Wight of the Ice Dogs scored his first goal for Bozeman with a helper coming from Tyler Klingbeil as Bozeman trailed 4-1 heading into the third frame. Great Falls produced nine second period while the visiting Montana team was held to five.
Both teams skated the final twenty minutes without creating any scoring opportunities. Bozeman and Great Falls combined for 22 third period shots-on-goal.
The Americans accumulated 28 shots-on-goal with 18 coming before the third period. The Ice Dogs were active during the first and third periods as they gathered 28 of their team-high 33 shots during that time.
The Americans utilized the power play throughout the game accruing three of their four goals while the Ice Dogs were down a man (penalty). Bozeman squandered their six power play chances. The showdown between these two Montana junior hockey clubs saw a combined 22 infractions that resulted in 94 minutes spent off the ice.
Kaden Rhyder is now 3-1-0-0 on the season after four contests for the home team. The Pennsylvania goalie totaled 32 saves. Denver, Colorado native Jack Ryan (0-1-0-0) took his first loss (24 saves).
FRONTIER DIVISION UPDATE: The #1 Helena Bighorns (4-0-0-0) offense was determined to keep the win streak alive, and they downed their rivals, the #5 Butte Irish (2-2-0-0), 8-4 at Steed Arena in Helena, Montana during Saturday’s NA3HL action. More information is coming soon.
Most of the scoring occurred in the third period for the game between the #3 Sheridan (WY) Hawks (3-1-0-0) and the #6 Gillette (WY) Wild (0-3-1-0). Josh Serino and Vlad Zubriichuk each put the biscuit in the basket twice to help guide the #Hawks to a 5-2 win over the Wild. Chase Hapka was the shining star for Gillette as he prevented the shutout by getting the puck in the net twice. TJ Wonnacott (1-0-0-0) played a great game swatting away 46 shots in his first appearance for Sheridan. Noah Hacker made 35 saves but his record fell to 0-1-1-0 after two games for the Wild.
Thayne Coston had a breakout night for the #4 Badlands (SD) Sabres (2-0-0-0) as he scored four goals and teammate Carter Kilen added two as the Sabres earned a two-game sweep over the #8 Yellowstone (WY) Quake (0-4-0-0) with a convincing 10-1 victory in Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday. Yellowstone’s Logan Verville prevented the shutout by adding his first goal five minutes into the third period. Tagger Tamburo is now 1-0-0-0 with Badlands as he redirected 14 shots. Yellowstone netminder Nate Whitson (0-1-0-0) was kept busy between the pipes as he ended the night with 70 saves.
