The Great Falls Americans (4-6-0-1) and the Yellowstone (WY) Quake (1-8-1-0) faced each other for the third time in a week to conclude Week 6 of the 2025-26 NA3HL junior hockey season.
During the first weekend of October (3-4), Great Falls traveled to Cody, Wyoming, for a two-game road series against the Yellowstone (WY) Quake. Great Falls blanked Yellowstone, 5-0 behind a two-goal (hat trick) performance from first-year player, Reid Lezubski, and netminder Cole Murphy recorded 32 saves. The following night, Reid Lezubski scored a hat trick (three goals) in a 4-1 decision over the Quake. Cole Murphy was back in the net and redirected 34 of the 35 shots. Billings, Montana native Shayne Smith had the only score for the home team in the first period.
Great Falls was ready to avenge their 7-1 setback made possible by the Sheridan (WY) Hawks on Friday with another road victory against Yellowstone on Saturday evening. Could they go 3-0 against their Wyoming foes?
Shayne Smith and Landon Jett combined for three goals and four assists to help the Yellowstone (WY) Quake pick up their first victory of the season by downing the Great Falls Americans, 6-1 during Saturday’s NA3HL action in Cody, Wyoming. Logan Mese scored in the first period for the Americans.
Great Falls took the first period lead by scoring five minutes into the opening stanza, with the host team in the sin bin when Logan Mese added his third goal of the season with Owen Kronk and Reid Lezubski acquiring their first assists. Despite trailing on the scoreboard, the Quake attempted four more shots (18-14) than their Montana opponents during the first twenty minutes.
Yellowstone’s offense got going after the first intermission and scored three straight goals. Gillette, Wyoming native Brady Hipsag scored his first goal off a pass from Chase Bryson and London Jett 89 seconds into the second period for Yellowstone to even the score, 1-1. Bryson picked up his third assist, and Jett received his second assist in their NA3HL careers with Yellowstone. Nine minutes later, the Quake took their first lead when Nicholas Carver found Landon Jett for Yellowstone’s second scoring drive of the period for the 2-1 advantage. Grady Perry increased the lead to 3-1 in favor of the home team when his slapshot went by Americans starting goaltender Gunnar Bergo with under two minutes remaining.
In the final period, Billings, Montana, hockey standout Shayne Smith lit up the lamp twice during a 73 second scoring spree that saw one of the scores occur when the Americans were in the penalty box. London Jett assisted on both tallies, and Carson Joersz and Nicholas Carver also set up the fourth and fifth scores for the Quake. Chance Bryson added another score during the final 19 seconds for the home team, with Shayne Smith and Nicholas Carver gathering the assists.
The Quake accumulated 50 shots in the victory over Great Falls. Great Falls had just one goal while taking 40 shots.
Four players led the way for the winning team as Shayne Smith finished with two goals and one assist, London Jett tacked on one goal and dished out three assists, Chance Bryson scored once and had one assist, while Nicholas Carver set up three of the six goals.
The Quake scored on two of their nine power play opportunities while Great Falls ended the game by going 1-for-7.
Netminder Damen Baxter (1-8-0-1) stopped 39 of 40 shots in the net for his first win as a member of the Yellowstone Quake. Gunnar Bergo (0-1-0-0), who did not get the finish he wanted, made 44 saves in his Americans debut.
By Kevin Scott: October 11, 2025 – Cody, Wy
