GALLERY: Cochrane Gens need a win Friday night

The Bisons brought plenty of pressure early in the game to take a 3-0 lead. Easton Dean (#12), flanked by Adam Kirkpatrick (#10) on the attack against Gens goalie Braydon Yonin.

The Cochrane Generals are facing elimination from the HJHL playoffs after losing their second game against the Okotoks Bisons in overtime.

The Gens fought back from a 3-0 deficit early in the game to force overtime on a goal by Brendan Thubron with 1:54 remaining in regulation. 

Bison Adam Kirkpatrick scored on a 2-on-1 at 8:33 in overtime for the win.

Bison Adam Kirkpatrick cirles the Gens net after scoring the winner from a pass from Zephyr Laplante on a two-on-one break in overtime.

While there is some controversy over a Gens goal called back in the second that could have changed the game's outcome, Gens head coach Derek Bell shrugs it off and instead focuses on the need for the team to stop spotting the Bisons a huge lead. In both games, the Bisons went ahead 3-0 before the Gens could find the scoreboard.

"It's hard to dictate what happens during a game," says Bell. "The game is so fast. There are humans out there, and we all make mistakes. I make them, players make them, refs make them. That was a mistake. The puck was in the net and the goalie pulled the puck out, but we don't have the luxury of going upstairs to check. It's junior 'B' hockey."

Bell says there's no quit in the Gens.

"We've been down before and then when we scored two in the second period, they got right back in, and the room was fantastic. When you talk to these guys, this team cares and that's the greatest thing. They care about the fans, they care about the town, and they care about the crest on the front. They're ready to do whatever it takes to make that game competitive. They showed it tonight."

Thrubron's shot slides in behind Bisons goalie Connor White to tie the game and send it into overtime.

Gen Ethan Matiece (#20) leaps into the third-goal celebration.

A swing in momentum in the second lead to Jayden Barney's goal that put the Gens on the board. Assists went to Carter Singleton and Cobin Housley. The Gens continued to press in the third, with Evan Malcolm closing the gap from Diago Coelho and Singleton before Thubron's tying goal.

The puck drops for game three of the best-of-five on Feb. 28 at 8 p.m. in Okotoks' Murray Arena.

In other HJHL series, the Medicine Hat Cubs are in control against the Wheatland Kings with two wins over the weekend. To stay alive the Kings need a win Wednesday night at the Strathmore Family Centre Arena.

The Sylvan Lake Wranglers have a stranglehold on their series against the Airdrie Thunder that resumes Friday night in NexSource Centre.

The Red Deerr Vipers won their opening game against the Mountainview Colts, 5-0. That series resumes tonight.