The Cochrane Generals were forced to the limit by the Three Hills Thrashers, and now hold a 2-1 semi final series lead over the Blackfalds Ford Wranglers.
Head coach Dana Boothby says having to play seven games in nine days in the divisional finals took its toll on the team.
“You just don’t have any time to heal, mentally it’s tough, you don’t have any time to unwind,” said Boothby. “Guys are getting up early for work or school, then booking time off school or work. Mentally and physically, it’s overbearing.”
Cochrane sealed the divisional title with a 5-4 game seven win, March 11 on home ice. Forward Jonny Pictin scored the game winner on a powerplay with four minutes remaining in the game.
The first game of the semi final series against the Wranglers saw the Generals come back from a 6-3 deficit to win 7-6 in overtime. Captain Danny McSween grabbed the game winner, and his 10th of the playoffs.
“There were some pretty dejected players on the bench,” said Boothby. “We scored three goals in the third period. I thought it generated a lot of character from the guys. They took that into game two, but we made a couple mistakes and they ended up in our net.”
Boothby says the Blackfalds club has a lot of firepower, capitalizing on Cochrane mistakes to take game two by a score of 4-2 March 15.
The series moved back to Cochrane for game three March 16. While the Wranglers struck first, McSween tallied his 11th to start the scoring for the Generals en route to a 5-2 win.
“They can fill your net. They have some really experienced guys on the blue line,” said Boothby. “We are trying to minimize our mistakes, we can’t be missing passes and missing checks to win. You need to execute the job in front of you.”
One new challenge Boothby says might come into play this season is a three-game final series, the shortest of the playoffs.
“I haven’t experienced it yet. We have won other championships, but they were five games. We were down in both series, and we managed to regroup and see what we needed to do,” said Boothby. “I would like to see a longer series, it’s for the championship of the league series, it’s for the championship of the league, which we have worked for all year long.”
The Generals play March 18 in Blackfalds and will return home March 19 if necessary to decide which club will play for the league title (results were unavailable at press time).
