Generals conquer Kings

By Brady Grove, Times Reporter

The Strathmore Wheatland Kings lost 6-4 to the Cochrane Generals on Jan. 4 in Cochrane in a big divisional match-up to kick off 2019.
With the loss and in the final push to the playoffs, the Kings now sit with a .500 record of 13-13-2, putting them in fifth place in the southern division.
Kings forward Garret Vander Ploeg scored on the power play in the first period to get the Kings on the board and take an early lead, but it was short lived as the Generals tied it up 42 seconds later. The Generals would add three more before the end of the first to take a commanding lead in the game.
In the second period, the Generals kept piling on the shots and were rewarded with two more goals. The Kings only managed four shots in the second period, but they made one count when centre Lucas Muenchrath scored a goal on the power play.
The third period was a big pushback by the Kings as they outshot the Generals 18-15 and scored two goals without allowing any. Winger Issac Benoit scored his 25th goal of the year shorthanded at 27 seconds into the final period. Defenseman Tyler Skehar found the back of the net with 10 minutes to go and put the Kings in good place to get back in the game. But the Kings ran out of time.
Kings goalies Riley Stovka made 34 saves and Brett Willan made 10 in the defeat. The Generals outshot the Kings 50-30 as they picked up two important points in the standings. This was the second time the Generals have beaten the Kings in their last three games.
There are only 10 games remaining for the Kings in the regular season which concludes Feb. 9. The Kings are next on the ice against the Okotoks Bisons on Jan. 11 in Okotoks before returning home to face the High River Flyers on Jan. 12 at 8 p.m.