The 2025-26 North American 3 Hockey League regular season kicked off last weekend with the Butte Irish hosting a pair of Frontier Division foes. After dropping both games the young Irish squad knows there is work to do to get better if they hope to contend for a top four finish and playoff berth this season.
Second year forward Easton Langemo, who seems ready for a breakout season, scored on the first shift just :25 into the new season. The 20-year old captain from Shakopee, Minnesota is coming off a 63-point rookie campaign and looks poised for big things this year.
Bozeman Icedogs would go on to score eight unanswered goals for the 8-1 victory. Three of those eight goals came on the powerplay in the game which saw the visitors out shoot the Irish 54-33.
Rookie goaltender Zander Harp made 46 saves in his debut.
Saturday night saw the Irish host the defending division champion Helena Bighorns. Another rookie goalie, Matteo MacDonald, made the start in net for Butte giving up six goals in 37 minutes. Harp played the final 23 minutes allowing two goals in the 8-1 loss.
Langemo scored the lone goal for Butte, a powerplay marker at 13:47 of the second frame. Jack Whitelaw and Alexander Waino assisted on the play.
Butte Irish and Helena Bighorns meet again next weekend with a home-and-home series. The Irish host the weekend finale on Saturday night.
