Battle-weary and hobbled, the Cochrane Generals remain unbowed and continue fighting their way through the Heritage Junior Hockey League season.
Missing key starters Reed Boothby (knee), Corey Goeson (broken arm), Logan Brown (leg) and Andrew Bergmann (hip), the Generals managed a weekend home-and-home split with the Medicine Hat Cubs, edging them 5-4 in a Nov. 10 shootout win at Spray Lake Sawmills Family Sports Centre after dropping a 3-2 loss in Medicine Hat the night before.
Rookie head coach Evan McFeeters has been busy plugging roster holes faster than a little Dutch boy at a leaky dyke.
“We got what we needed at home, but we kind of left one on the road last night,” McFeeters said following the home half of their weekend set against the Cubs. “We’ve been running into a bad string of injuries here.
“We’re in every single game. We haven’t got the results we wanted.”
Defenceman Austin Keller sniped the Gens’ shootout winner Nov. 10 over the shoulder of Cubs goalie Cole Schafer. Sayer McDonald, Patrick Dove, Ian McRae and Connor Rendell also scored for Cochrane.
“We’re on they way up. So we’re not quite where we want to be but we’re still being optimistic on where the season is,” McFeeters stressed. “Every single game we’re into the last second. We’re not putting the puck in the net when we need to. And some mistakes are costing us. But that’s a young team. I think we’re going to be in good shape come Christmas time.”
The Generals are at home for two games this weekend, hosting Blackfalds Nov. 15 and Medicine Hat Nov. 16, 8 p.m. puck drop for both games at SLSFSC.
