(Editor’s note: Great Falls Americans release)
GREAT FALLS — The last three games that the Great Falls Americans (5-0-0-0) have played the Yellowstone Quake (0-4-0-0) haven’t been close. Great Falls has allowed only three goals and has accumulated 22 successful scoring drives, including a 13-goal outburst on Sept. 15.
What would happened during their fourth encounter?
The Great Falls Americans offense started out slow, but they got the job done by scoring three goals in the final period to come out on top of the Yellowstone Quake 4-1 on Saturday night at the Great Falls Ice Plex. Forward Jens Juliussen starred for Great Falls by finding the back of the net twice.
Luke Hartge, a forward from Naperville, Illinois, netted the first score of the game as Yellowstone took the
early advantage after the first intermission. Hartge’s first goal of the season came at the 10:13 mark of the opening period. Wyoming product Blake Billings earned his first assist for the Wyoming team. The Americans offense kept putting up shots, but nothing would fall into the net. Great Falls attempted 27 shots while Yellowstone created 14.
The host team put up a good offensive effort during the middle period, but it took 19:23 until a goal was scored by the Americans. Jens Juliussen evened up the score with assistance from Matt Janke and Payton McSharry. Coach Greg Sears’ team finished with 26 of the 30 shots taken after the second intermission.
Jens Juliussen, Braxton Lorenz, and Luke Richesin helped the Americans escape with a victory by scoring goals in the final stanza. Jack Olson provided two assists while Ben Rinckey, Payton McSharry, Braydon Smith and Alexi Suchomlin each added one.
The offensive attack put on by the Americans was impressive. They took over 20 shots in each period to end the contest with 77. Yellowstone was held to 19 with 14 of the shots coming in the first period.
The Frontier Division member of the NA3HL (North American 3 Hockey League) each were called for seven penalties resulting in 14 minutes in the penalty box. Jens Juliussen’s second goal of the game was the only power play that resulting in any goals scored.
Viktor Wennberg, playing in his second contest for the Americans, picked up the victory, stopping 18 of the 19 shots taken by the Quake offense. Meanwhile, Michael Allman of the Quake, had a busy night trying to defend the goal against the powerful offense of the Americans, received 73 saves.
NEXT CONTEST: The Butte Cobras, the newest member of the NA3HL’s Frontier Division, will be in town on Friday, Sept. 28th to play the Americans. The inaugural matchup begins at 7:30 p.m.
