The Cochrane Generals (9-1-1) undefeated streak is over with a 4-1 loss Oct. 15 to the Mountain View Colts and a shoot-out loss in Airdrie the week before.
However, the Generals dug in Saturday night to beat Red Deer 7-2. General head coach and general manager Kurtis Jones said after being switched to the north division two weeks ago, he continues to make adjustments game by game.
“We are making changes on the fly because I don’t know much about the (north teams),” Jones said. “We make changes day in and day out. We have 25 guys and we do what we think is right – we dress 20 guys depending on which team we are playing.”
They have played four of the north teams so Jones said it will get easier to know what to expect going into their upcoming games. The Generals have two wins and two losses in the Northern Division and were undefeated in the south.
The team continues to lead both divisions with 19 points. He said the team isn’t always going to win and the losses have been learning experiences.
“It is good for them,” Jones said. “When a good team loses like that you know they are going to come back and put everything out on the ice.”
Jones said in Friday’s home game against Mountain View they faced a couple of obstacles.
“We played well on Friday we just came across a hot goaltender,” he said. “Their team also did the small things and we did not do the small things.”
The Generals' only goal on Friday came during a 5-on-3 advantage with league point leader Patrick Forde rifling one past Mountain View goalie Chance Griffith midway through the third period.
Mountain View sealed the win with an empty-net goal with just under a minute left in the game.
The Airdrie Techmation Thunder handed the Generals their first overtime loss Oct. 8.
Airdrie scored the only goal in the shootout, following a 3-3 tie in regulation time.
The Gens still gained a point from the shootout loss.
The rest of the north division is in a tight points race with Sylvan Lake in second with 15 points and Red Deer, Mountain View and Rocky Mountain House tied for the third spot with 12 points.
