Glacier falls twice as second half begins

The Glacier Nationals were back on the ice after a week off for Christmas break. But there was no holiday cheer from Glacier’s two opponents.

Friday night, the Nationals welcomed in the Great Falls Americans to the Havre Ice Dome, and the game was a rough one for Glacier, which was shut out by the Nationals, 9-0.

Great Falls got 54 shots on the Glacier tandem of Will Langstaff and Jeremiah Clark, and the Americans poured in seven goals in the second period, after going up 2-0 in the first. Danny O’Connell scored twice for the Americans, who currently sit in first place in the NA3HL Frontier Division.

After falling to the Americans on Friday night, the Nationals returned to the road, but things were no better in Helena as the host Bighorns topped the Nationals 4-1. Glacier goalie Brendan Schultz had a strong game, and the two teams skated to a scoreless first period.

However, the Bighorns broke through with two goals in the second, then they scored twice in the third before Brandon Huntington got Glacier on the board with a goal in the final minute of the game. It was Huntington’s third score of the season, while Hayden Moistner got his fourth assist. Schultz saved 44 of 48 Helena shots in the loss.

The Nationals (1-28-1) will play the same two teams this weekend, hosting Helena Friday night before traveling to Great Falls Saturday night.