The Cochrane Generals are on quite the roll. The local hockey heroes have won five straight in their Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) season after a pair of wins on Nov. 2 and 4 to improve their record to 7-4 on the season, seemingly hitting their stride with more than half the season to go. The first of two home games took place at the Cochrane Arena against the gritty 3-4-4 Blackfalds Wranglers, but Cochrane showed they were the superior team to their northern neighbours. The Gens scored three goals in the first, thanks to Chris Sambrook, Ben Davidson and River Ross which was sandwiched by a Blackfalds goal to make it 3-1 after one. The second and third period is where the home team really took over as they scored seven goals on the remaining 33 shots and went on a seven goal scoring spree before the Wranglers finally scored their second goal of the game on the power play with only 48 seconds remaining. Cochrane goals came from Braden Bain who scored twice, Vance Wesley, Harry Osler, Justin Berube, Brandon Aab and Sam Norris as the team scored 10 goals on 46 shots. Goaltender Robert Michetti was solid turning away 26 shots. After a day off to reset, the Generals returned to the ice to face the Lomond Lakers, a team they had beaten handily by a score of 8-0 just a week earlier. Cochrane dominated the game from start to finish, firing more than 20 pucks at the net each period and 69 overall but just squeaked out a 3-1 victory. Harry Osler scored midway through the first on the power play, which was answered by a goal from Lomond in the second, sending the game to the third period in a 1-1 tie with the shots favouring the Gens by a wide margin of 44-11. The Lakers looked like they might be able to steal away a point from Cochrane but Scott Shugg scored at the 16:25 mark of the third with Bain putting the icing on the cake with just over a minute remaining. Michetti got his second consecutive start and while he only stopped 13 shots, he made a couple key saves to keep Lomond from taking the lead. Generals forward Branden Bain, who has registered six points in his last two games to improve his season total to 15 (9 goals and six assists), which is just seven shy of his total from last season, is happy with his team's game during this five game winning streak as well as his own personal game. "I feel like the team is coming along strong so far this season and we have been competing in every single game. We had a slow start to the year but these last five games, we have found somewhat of a groove to roll with," Bain said. "With that being said, we also have stuff that we need to improve on to be that top team we can be. This stretch is good but I don't think it will define our season. It's great to get points early and having teams with five or six more games played we know we need the points to stay in the hunt." "As for my game, I'm very happy so far with my play. I just feel more confident and stronger in my game compared to last year. I feel last season I was too hard on myself on trying to score, where this year if the points come, they come and if they don't I'm still going to play the same game every night." The Generals knew heading into this season they'd be without their top three scorers from last season in Talus Hume, Slater Ransom and Austin Keller. But the kids coming up from the Midget AA ranks have stepped up and helped give Cochrane a balanced attack. "Losing those guys was a loss for sure. We all know we can't replace them and guys can't do what they've done in this league. Every single guy in our locker room knows what roll they have to our team and when we all play our roles, we click," Bain said. "Travis (head coach Travis McMillan) has been putting together solid lineups every game for us to succeed and it's up to us to get it done. The young guys are coming along and adapting to the league and speed fairly quick which is great to see, it's also a big help to the team to have the ability to roll four lines throughout the year instead of relying on two or three guys to get us goals." Cochrane will look to stretch their winning streak to seven games when they hit the road to play the Okotoks Bisons tonight at 8:15 and then head to Claresholm to once again play the Lakers.
