The Cochrane Generals forgot to put out the welcome mat for Brydon Beston when he showed up in an Airdrie Lightning sweater.
Quite the opposite, actually.
Instead, the former Generals defenceman was met with a hail of haymakers from current Generals defenceman Logan Brown in a spirited second-period scrap. Both earned game misconducts for their part in the tilt. No matter. Beston, who left the Generals early in the season for more playing time with the Banff Bears, wound up in Airdrie after the Banff commute became too much. He now plays solid minutes with the team just up the road from Cochrane. And, like the Generals, the Thunder are fighting for their playoff lives.
“It was pretty aggressive,” Beston said following the game against the Generals. “We knew coming in it was going to be. Airdrie and Cochrane have been rivals since I started playing hockey.
“I knew it was going to be rough from the start.”
Roughness aside, the Thunder are playing for their post-season lives, trying to catch fifth-place Three Hills in the Heritage League’s Northern Division standings to extend their season. Airdrie is one point back with four games to play. Taking a win on the road against his former team definitely bolstered the Thunder’s playoff chances.
“We really needed that win,” Beston stated. “We’ve got to keep working hard from here. We’re still fighting for that spot. If we can beat Cochrane here, we can beat anyone at their arena.
“At this point we need to keep winning games.”
The sweater has changed for Beston, but not much else has.
