With three remaining head-to-head meetings remaining, the Great Falls Americans (22-13-1-1) and the Butte Irish (9-26-0-0) have already met four prior times on the ice, with Great Falls going undefeated. Butte has been held to no more than three goals per game.
Since the Great Falls Americans 6-3 win in Butte, Montana, on January 3rd, the Irish have made some changes to their lineup. On January 13th, Butte sent standout player, Easton Langemo, to the top-ranked Sheridan (WY) Hawks in exchange for Anthony Launderville and Josh Halvorson. In addition to the trade, they also released eight players from head coach Marc Brodeur’s squad.
Great Falls was looking to go 2-0 at home against their Montana opponent on Saturday afternoon after winning three at the Butte Community Ice Center earlier this season.
Reid Lezubksi, Jordan Murray, and Gordon Jennings all lit up the lamp in the Great Falls Americans 3-2 victory over the Butte Irish during Toyota Night at the Great Falls Ice Plex on Saturday afternoon. Cooper Clouse assisted on all three scoring drives.
Great Falls outshot Butte 22-8 as the first period came to a close, but it was the Irish taking the early lead. Butte’s Loghan Weber took advantage of the Americans in the penalty box and got the puck in the net off a pass from teammates Andrew James and Jack Whitelaw with 1:16 left before the first intermission. Weber, a native of Beaverton, Oregon, currently leads the Butte NA3HL franchise with 15 goals and 34 points. Great Falls had their fair share of unsuccessful scoring opportunities.
The Americans came out of the locker room for the second period ready to go. The Americans needed one minute to even the score (1-1) on a score by Reid Lezubski, with Fisher Hannesson and Cooper Clouse gathering the assists. Jordan Murray, who came over from the Yellowstone (WY) Quake earlier this season, picked up his first goal as a member of the Americans (he scored twice while with Yellowstone this season) less than two minutes after Lezubski’s score. Cooper Clouse, the team leader in assists made, captured his 46th (assist) while Keegan Hanson acquired his sixth assist to give Great Falls their first lead (2-1) of the afternoon. Clouse is currently ranked No. 10 in the NA3HL for point scored with 63. The penalty-free frame saw 22 total shots being taken.
Seven minutes into the last period of regulation, Butte and Great Falls traded goals. Kaleb Ivens scored his first goal of the season as the Irish tied the game, 2-2 with12:23 left. Jack Whitelaw and Andrew James each added their second assists. The Great Falls offense raced down the other way and answered back 22 seconds later with Cooper Clouse earning his third assist of the game and Aidan Mulharen getting his fourth when they found an open Gordon Jennings to help the Americans regain the lead (3-2). The score by Gordon Jennings proved to be the game-winner as both teams skated out the remaining twelve minutes.
Great Falls tamed Butte’s offense as they produced 53 shots-on-goal, with 31 coming after the first intermission. Butte ended their road game with Great Falls with just 20 shots attempted.
Each squad capitalized by scoring on one of their power play chances.
Kaden Rhyder remained perfect (4-0-0-0) when facing the Irish this season. The standout goaltender swatted away 18 shots and allowed one goal in the first and third periods. He is now 11-5-0-1 in 18 appearances for Great Falls.
The Americans offense kept Butte netminder Mathieu Chernauckas (3-8-0-0) busy in the net. The returning goalie from last season played the entire sixty minutes and finished with 50 saves in his second loss at the hands of the Americans. On January 3rd, Great Falls got by Butte, 6-3, in Butte, Montana.
By Kevin Scott: January 24, 2026 – Great Falls, Mt
