A 4-2 win has lifted the Rocky Rams within one game of eliminating the Cochrane Generals from the HJHL playoffs.

The Gens fought back from a 3-1 deficit to come within one of the Rams on a Tristan Ripplinger goal with nine minutes remaining but couldn't score the equalizer. The Rams scored an empty-netter with 38 seconds remaining.

Rocky has taken a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven, and the Gens roll into Rocky tonight in search of a win to bring the series back home on Sunday.

Unlike the previous four games, there weren't many whistles. The Rams had only one penalty, and the Gens capitalized on it with a goal by their top line of Patrick Forde, Tristan Ripplinger, and Kyle Crosbie. The Rams countered with a powerplay goal with 46 seconds remaining in the second to regain a 2-1 lead.

Gens head coach Kurtis Jones remains confident his team can rally for a win tonight.

"The guys just have to play hockey and try to do what they do best," says Jones. "Right now, we're a little fragile, upset and frustrated, but we got outworked by a team that plays good hockey. We had our opportunities and there's a lot of positives, but the guys just have to believe they can do it."

He says the Gens haven't been playing their best defensive hockey.

"They're getting quality shots. We may be getting quantity, but they're getting quality, and that's where they are beating us right now."

"If it takes seven to win four, it takes seven to win four. I think mentally we have the mindset that we can do this, and we'll go into tonight and hopefully pull it out and then come back and play our cards right."

If the Gens are successful tonight, the series returns to the Cochrane Arena at 3 p.m. on Sunday (Feb. 27).