There was light at the end of the tunnel, as Cochrane Generals beat Three Hills Thrashers 6-3 on Oct. 24, after losing three straight on the road in the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL).
Gens went into their first matchup of a five-game home stand after defeats to Mountainview Colts (6-5), Banff Academy Bears (5-4 in overtime), and Okotoks Bisons (5-2), looking to turn the momentum back in their favour.
“It was good to get the monkey off our back,” said Generals assistant coach Chase Kinch after the game. “Now, we should be ready to do well again.”
Thrashers were outshot 41-18 in a game where Gens kicked into overdrive late on, scoring three unanswered in the third period.
Forward Slater Ransom led the Gens’ offensive powerhouse, picking up a hat-trick and an assist. Corey Goeson (1g, 1a), Patrick Dove (1g), and Chad Harrison (1g) rounded out the scoring for the home side. Connor Rendell and Austin Keller each picked up two assists, while Talus Hume, Kurt Thrussell, Logan Brown, Brett Berndt, Brett Hamer, and Tyler Kinnion each had a helper.
A factor that Gens have been having trouble with in recent games, is they have relied on their top lines for points, while their bottom ones haven’t stepped up. That changed against Three Hills.
“The problem with our team is a lot of times our top lines have played good, and the bottom ones have been so-so,” Kinch stated. “Now tonight, our bottom lines were the top ones.”
One of the players who have stepped up lately is rookie defenceman Noah Bigland who Kinch coached in midget.
“I didn’t see him playing junior,” Kinch said of Bigland’s midget days. “He was too cautious and unsure of himself, but these last two weekends, he’s been just phenomenal.”
There is no question that Gens have the speed and talent to take it to the rest of the league, but does Kinch think the team doesn’t always bring the hard work to go along with it?
“We’ve built this team around work ethic,” Kinch stated. “However, if you only have two practices a week, and have a bad one on Tuesday, then it’s really hard to prepare for the weekend.
“I think if we could get on the ice two or three more times a week, we would be untouchable.”
Friday, Oct. 30, 7:30 p.m., Spray Lakes Family Sports Centre: Banff Academy Bears (5-4, 4th Southern Div.) at Gens (7-2-1, 1st Southern Div.)
Saturday, Oct. 31, 7:30 p.m., Spray Lakes Family Sports Centre: Airdrie Thunder (8-3, 3rd Northern Div.) at Gens.
Slater Ransom picked up a hat-trick and an assist against Three Hills Thrashers, along with a goal and an assist against Okotoks Bisons for six points in his last two games. He now has 13 points (8g, 5a) in eight games.
Rookie forward Levi Barker has played eight games this season, recording zero points. Veteran forward Patrick Dove has played nine games, recording just a goal and an assist.
Captain Craig Packard is out for the next couple games with a shoulder injury.
Goalie Ty Robinson will be expected to step up and continue his solid run. He has recorded a 2.82 GAA so far this season, stopping 55 out of 62 shots in his last two games.
Meanwhile, the team has a solid backup in McKenzie Chalmers who has played in eight games this season, recording a 3.50 GAA.
Rookie defenceman Noah Bigland has been a rock for Gens this season. He’s played seven games so far, picking up one goal. He will only get better with time. This is one to watch for in the future.
Gens now have a four-game home stand (Oct. 30, 31, Nov. 7, 13) before going back on the road. Head coach McFeeters believes his team has a good chance to win three out of four on home ice.
Gens were 3-1 against Bears last season (0-1 this year), and 2-1 against Lightning (2-0 this year).
