Nationals drop two

The schedule makers of the North American Tier 3 Hockey League did no favors to the Glacier Nationals this past weekend, as the team had to take on Frontier Division powers Great Falls and Helena on back-to-back nights.

The Nationals hosted Great Falls Friday night at the Havre Ice Dome and lost a competitive game 5-2. Then they traveled to Helena Saturday, where they were defeated 8-1 by the Big Horns, extending their winless streak to double digits at 10 games. Glacier is 2-16-2 with the loss and in last place in the Frontier with six points. The Nationals are 0-9-1 in their last 10 outings.

With its win over the Glacier, Great Falls improved to 16-6 and boasts a division-leading 32 points. Helena is in fourth place with a 12-7 mark and 24 points following its win over Glacier.

Earlier in the season, the Nationals gave the Americans all they could handle inside the Ice Dome and played them tough again the day after Thanksgiving. The Americans struck first with a goal by Richards Bernhards to take a 1-0 lead in the first period. In the second period, Josh Larson, a former National, scored against his old team to make the Great Falls advantage 2-0. Yet, before the second came to a close, the Nationals got on the board with a goal from Brendan Echelbarger, which made the score 2-1 going into the third period.

Trailing by just a goal, the Nationals couldn't narrow the deficit and when Tanner Dongdon scored twice in the final stanza, the Americans took a commanding 4-1 lead. Kade Friede added a goal for Glacier to make it 4-2, but Austin Krantz scored on an open net late in the game to wrap up the win for Great Falls.

Lauren Massie got the win in net for the Americans after turning away 19 of the 21 shot attempts he faced. Raymond Smith was given the loss for Glaicer. He finished the game with 43 saves.

After falling to Great Falls on Friday night, the Nationals turned around and paid a visit to the Big Horns in another Frontier matchup. But even though it was a different venue, it was the same result for the Nationals, who were outshot 65-27 in an 8-1 defeat.

William Bostwick scored in the first period for the Nationals to tie the game, but before the stanza was over, John Greer scored to put Helena up 2-1. In the second period, the Big Horns added two more goals, followed by four more in the third period.

Adam Ranck got the win for Helena with 26 saves and just one goal allowed. Smith was the losing goalie for the second straight night despite finishing the contest with a total of 56 saves.

The Nationals will be back in action this Friday night as they play the first of back-to-hack home games against Yellowstone inside the Havre Ice Dome