The Carroll College Big Horns Night was an evening of hockey, fun, fights, laughter, and more.
The collaborative event took place on Saturday, Jan. 27 and was a rousing success.
Almost 300 Carroll College students and staff attended the game, sponsored by Carroll Student Activities.
Braden Cunningham scored twice for the Helena Bighorns in their 6-2 win against the Butte Irish.
“It was great, super fun,” said freshman Samuel McGee, an engineering major from Forest Grove, Oregon.
During the first period, Cunningham scored the first of four goals for the Bighorns. The Irish answered with one goal after player ejections for both teams.
The second period saw Patrick Cooks, the only Irish scorer this game, slam an early goal to narrow the Bighorns’ lead before Cunningham pulled it back. A late double ejection landed two Bighorns players in the penalty box for the last two minutes, and into the first two minutes of the third period.
“The refs were calling more than usual against the Bighorns,” said Tyler Wood, a Helena local.
During these four minutes, Bighorns’ goalie Alex Lamont locked down the net. Together with the three remaining Bighorns players on the ice, they denied every Irish attempt for a goal. Once the penalized Bighorns skaters returned to the rink, the Bighorns pushed the Irish into their own territory for the period’s remainder.
“We knew we were down two men, we had to stay patient, lock down the middle, and just play hockey,” said Lamont after the game.