Cubs settle for last, but gain confidence entering playoffs

By Ryan McCracken on February 12, 2018.

Medicine Hat News

The Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs may not have earned the opening playoff matchup they were hoping for with a pair of losses this weekend, but they found something just as important: confidence.

The setbacks force Medicine Hat to settle for last place in the Heritage Junior Hockey League Southern Division and a first-round date with the Cochrane Generals. But after holding the Generals in a 2-2 tie until the final five seconds of Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Bow Island, the Cubs have planted a seed of doubt in Cochrane.

Noah Irvine scored twice to keep on Cochrane’s heels Saturday, but Brandon Aab played the late hero by scoring his own second of the night with 4.5 seconds left in regulation.

Medicine Hat closed out the regular season with a 7-2 loss at the hands of the Okotoks Oilers.

The Cubs (12-22-2) kick off the post-season with a best-of-three series against the Generals (24-11-1) on Thursday in Cochrane at 8 p.m. The series shifts back to Medicine Hat Saturday for a 7:30 p.m. matchup at the Kinplex, while Game 3 is slated for Sunday at 5 p.m. in Cochrane, if necessary.

The winner will advance to play either the Coaldale Copperheads (24-10-2) or the Okotoks Bisons (24-10-2) in the second round.