The Cochrane Generals started 2022 on the right foot with a 7-4 win over the Three Hill Thrashers on Jan. 2.

Only one goal separated the teams for the majority of the game until Riley Hopper and Andrew Guss scored a pair just 49 seconds apart early in the third.

Andrew Guss went on to score an empty-netter with a minute remaining to complete his hat-trick.

Also scoring for the Gens were Dagan Kadlec, Connor Stephenson, and Nicolas Chauvin.

Defenceman Joel Klassen had three assists on the night. Kaiden Wharton got the start between the pipes, turning away 17 of 21 shots.

The win keeps the Gens in first in the hotly contested northern division, closely followed by the Red Deer Vipers.

In their lone game of the week, the Gens are in Olds to face the Mountainview Colts on Jan. 7. The Colts are ahead in the teams' head-to-head series, 2-1.

The Gens won't be at home until Jan. 14.