Making up for lost time.
Out of the playoffs last season, the Cochrane Generals are playing postseason-style hockey three games into the 2014-15 regular season.
The Gens narrowly won both their Heritage Junior Hockey League games on September’s last weekend – one in overtime.
Cochrane edged High River Flyers 3-2 in Cochrane’s Sept. 27 home-opener featuring a flashy pre-game opening with smoke, lights, singer/songwriter Sydney Mae and rodeo queen Monique Uittenbogerd.
The Gens then took four periods to edge the Copperheads 4-3 Sept. 28 in Coaldale.
Cochrane sprinted out of the gate against High River, dominating the first period in a scoreless tie.
“We went into the second period and took our foot off the gas,” Gens head coach Evan McFeeters said of Generals being down 1-0 after 40 minutes. “We had a big-time lull. We went into the dressing room down a goal and discussed what we had to do. Obviously, the coaching staff wasn’t happy with where our effort and compete-level was.
“In the third period, the Cochrane Generals decided to show up and snuck away with a win, even though we didn’t have our best game that night.”
But the light stayed on as Gens rode into Coaldale, to a rink they haven’t won in for three seasons, and defeated a club they didn’t beat last season.
“Coaldale was a great game,” McFeeters enthused. “We talked about having a 60-minute effort.
“Going into Coaldale is always tough. They always have a big, physical older hockey team. We traded chances with them all the way through. Our goaltending held us in.
“Everything came together.”
Talus Hume, Kurt Thrussel, Craig Packard, and Patrick Dove (OT winner) scored for Cochrane in Coaldale. Garrett Iverson earned the win in goal. Chris Hugo (2) and Corey Goeson netted the Gens goals against High River, with Ty Robinson claiming the net victory.
