Nationals hits the road

The Frontier Division of the North American Tier 3 Hockey League can be a challenge. There are a number of programs with a strong junior hockey tradition and, this weekend, the Glacier Nationals will take on one of those teams in the Yellowstone Quake.

The Quake, who will welcome the Nationals to Cody, Wyoming, for back-to-back games Friday and Saturday night, currently sit atop the Frontier standings. The Nationals, on the other hand, are sitting in last among the eight teams.

Yet not only is Yellowstone leading the league, it’s been dominating it. In 10 games, the Quake have yet to suffer a regulation loss (9-0-1), but they also earned at least a point each time they have been on the ice.

Glacier is a much different story. The Nationals did end a lengthy losing streak that dated back to last season a couple weeks ago against Billings. But after getting swept by Bozeman, the Nationals sit in the divisional cellar with just three points. Billings is the next with nine.

The biggest difference on paper between the two teams, is the Quake’s ability to find the opposing net. Yellowstone is averaging 5.8 goals per game game and the team total of 58 leads the division.

Glacier has scored just 25 goals, just more than two per game. And what’s worse is the Nationals have allowed 83, almost seven per game. The Quake have surrendered just 23, highlighting another big statistical difference between the first and last-place teams.

When it comes to individuals, the Quake boast a much deeper roster. Overall, Yellowstone has six players with 11 points or more this season, while the Nationals have zero. Lindros Beard, who has four goals and five assists, leads the the Nationals with nine points, along with Gavin Cline, who also has four goals and five assists for Glacier.

The Quake are paced by Max Meyer, who has 10 goals and four assists, as well as Reed Kelley, who is second of the team in goals and assists with eight apiece.

Yellowstone is a solid team defensively, but its goaltending is among the best in the league. Brady Anderson, who is 3-0 with a shutout, is tied for the lowest goal against average (1.00) in the entire NA3HL. Glacier has had a number of different guys in net, but the best has been Brendan Schultz, who is 1-3 for the Nationals, with a goals against average of 4.88.

The Nationals, who will travel to Wyoming for the doubleheader, will play the Quake Friday and Saturday night. The first puck will drop at 7:30 p.m. both nights.