Knockout games are always the toughest.
The Cochrane Generals found that out the hard way as they closed their HJHL Southern Division semi-finals matchup against Strathmore Wheatland Kings with an overtime 5-4 win to sweep the series in four games.
After taking the first three games 7-2, 4-0, and 9-2, Gens went to Strathmore, knowing they were up against a desperate team playing for pride and their season.
Thanks to penalty trouble in game four, Gens faced some adversity (picking up 11 penalties to Kings’ zero), but managed to come out on top. Barely.
“Our offence really came through for us this series, like they have all year long,” said Gens head coach Evan McFeeters. “We got off to a good start for the fourth game in a row, and really took it to them for the first 25-30 minutes.”
The visitors barreled out of the gates and racked up a 3-0 lead, which lasted until nearly halfway through the second period thanks to goals from Chad Harrison (on the power-play), Corey Goeson, and Patrick Dove.
Slater Ransom, Kurt Thrussell, George King, and Tyler Kinnon all contributed assists.
However, the aforementioned penalty trouble began to take effect in the second period as Gens racked up eight penalties in the period alone, allowing Kings to crawl back to a 3-2 deficit.
Goeson, playing in his 100th game for Gens, added a second unassisted goal (his 101st point in a Gens uniform) in the third period, but two goals in five minutes for the home side, sent things into overtime.
Gens regular-season leading scorer Slater Ransom scored the winner in overtime (his first of the playoffs) sending Cochrane through to the Southern Division final where they will face the winner of the Okotoks Bisons – Coaldale Copperheads series.
“Our guys may have lost their emotional control and discipline a bit when they thought the game was won and the series was out of reach,” McFeeters said of his team’s penalty taking. “They might have wanted to exact a little revenge against some guys who had gotten under their skin in the series. That came back to bite us, but we did what we had to do to get to the next round.”
Knowing that a knockout game can sometimes cause a team with a 3-0 advantage to take their foot off the gas a bit, what was Gens’ game plan going in?
“We wanted to make sure we didn’t take any short cuts,” said McFeeters.
“We knew they had nothing to lose, and would give us their best game of the series. We just wanted to come out strong.”
As annoyed, as he may be at his team’s lack of discipline at certain stages in game four, McFeeters also believes that adversity can only help them grow as a team in the next round of playoffs.
“During the game we weren’t comfortable with it, but afterwards we thought it was a positive thing to face some adversity in the playoffs,” he said. “For the first three games we had our way, so to have our backs against the wall and play in overtime against a desperate club, along with killing a lot of penalties is only going to help us down the road.”
The Copperheads – Bisons series currently stands at 2-1 in Coaldale’s favour. McFeeters has been taking notice, and it’s a series he hopes can last for the full seven games.
“We pre-scouted one of their games on the weekend,” he revealed. “It’s a war between those two. They are fighting tooth and nail for every inch of ice. The more they beat each other up, the better for us, as we sit at home and rest.”
The Gens are tentatively scheduled to play the first game of the next series at home on Mar. 1. That gives them an eight-day break. Does McFeeters think a break that long could negatively impact his team if they face an adversary coming out of a tough series that is still on top of their game?
“We’re going to approach the upcoming series as we did this one,” he said. “For Strathmore, we had a first-round bye and a ten-day break which didn’t hurt us. We’re going to practice hard this week, and watch that series closely. We are looking at it positively no matter who comes out between Coaldale and Okotoks.
“Either way, we want the next series to be done as quickly as possible, like this one, and move on to our next goal. Right now though, we’re going to rest and recharge for another battle against one of the top teams in the league.”
Tuesday, Mar. 1, Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre: Winner of Coaldale Copperheads/Okotoks Bisons series (Copperheads lead series 2-1) at Gens. Puck-drop yet to be announced.
Corey “Goose” Goeson recorded his 100th and 101st points in his 100th game as a General during their 5-4 overtime win against Strathmore Wheatland Kings on Feb. 22.
Playoff time, means step up time. Veteran forward Chad Harrison led the Gens in offensive line in the Kings series with 11 points (five goals, six assists) in four games.
Gens will be favouring their chances against whoever they face in the next round as they were 3-1 again Bisons in regular-season action, and 3-1 against Copperheads as well.
