For Immediate Release

The Helena Bighorns open their NA3HL Regular Season schedule at the Helena Ice Arena on Friday, September 16th, 2016. The Puck drops at 7:05pm against the newest addition to the Frontier Division, the Missoula Junior Bruins.

This marks the first meeting between Helena and Missoula for the year. It has been over 4 years since hockey at the junior level has been played between these two cities. Once bitter rivals, Missoula left the now defunct-America West Hockey League (AWHL) for the Western States Hockey League.

Earlier this year, Missoula Maulers (WSHL) owner Michael Burks sold the franchise after what can only be described as a ‘change of opinion’ from the Glacier Ice Arena, where the Maulers played for many years and is the home of the newest NA3HL franchise. The Junior Bruins are owned by Jason DiMatteo, a Missoula-based entrepreneur and business manager.

DiMatteo’s first move as a new franchise owner was to solidify a deal with Maulers-now-Bruins Head Coach, Marcus Baxter. Baxter has been the only bench boss for junior hockey in Missoula in the new millennium. He brings experience and depth of knowledge to a new team that the Bighorns fully expect to be a tough opponent right from the start.

The addition of the eighth team (Missoula) in the Frontier Division means a change in schedule as well. Due to geography alone, the division has been divided into two sub-divisions for travel. In the West, Missoula is joined by Helena, Great Falls and Havre-based Glacier. The East has Bozeman, Billings, Cody, WY and Gillette, WY. All eight teams will continue to play each other; however the bulk of play will be against teams in their respective sub-divisions. As an example, Helena will play Missoula a total of 4 times at home, but will only play Bozeman and Billings at the Helena Ice Arena two times each.

A printable schedule is available on the Bighorns website.

Opening night is sponsored by Toyota; “Let’s Go Places”