While suspensions and injuries have left the Cochrane Generals short handed, they have worked hard on improving their defensive game.

The Gens shut out the Three Hills Thrashers on Friday night 4-0 but lost to the Red Deer Vipers 6-4. 

Dan Gendur, Generals, Head Coach, says although the boys lost he wasn't disappointed.

"We played well, our defensive game has been stepping up here over the last little bit and not having as many goals against. We were fairly short handed against Red Deer because we had some key guys not playing with injuries and  suspensions so I think although we lost the game, the guys played really well. They battled pretty hard and I was pretty happy with the effort."

Gendur says you can't win them all; sitting at top of the HJHL with 19 wins out of 22 games, the boys have worked hard to come together.

"Our captain and assistant captain Corey and Logan have both been injured here for the past month we're going to be holding them out to just after Christmas just so they can be healed up and ready to go in the New Year and into the stretch run of playoffs. So we are still a little banged up but also gives guys an opportunity to step up and fill some big holes on our team."

This weekend the Gens face off against the Okotoks Bisons on Saturday, November 26, and Gendur is not making any predictions.

"I don't make predictions personally but we put the work in at at last night's practice and we'll put the work in on Thursday in practice to prepare for Saturday."

Puck drops 7:30 pm at SLSFSC.