A Tristin Ripplinger powerplay goal with less than eight minutes in regulation opened the floodgate for the Cochrane Generals in their 5-1 win at home against the Strathmore Wheatland Kings.

Success on their powerplay was key in the Gens victory that gave them a one-point lead over the Kings in the HJHL's tight south division. 

Up until that powerplay goal, it was a close 2-1 game that could have gone either way.

gens 1Evan Plewes (#18) celebrates his first goal as a Gen with linemate Declan Kinch.

Evan Judge made it 4-1 at the 15:30 mark of the third, and less than a minute later his linemate rookie Evan Plewes scored his first of the season to put the game out of reach of the Kings.

The Kings' Kobe Gosling opened the scoring in the first before Gen James Quaife scored his fourth of the season, also on a powerplay, ending that period in a stalemate.

Ripplinger scored the lone goal of the second, yes, on a powerplay, that ended up being the game-winner.

Isaias Maddigan looked sharp between the pipes for the Gens with 23 saves and a 0.958 save percentage.

gens 3Gen Declan Kinch fights for control of the puck against King Cole Tweit. 

The Gens hosted the High River Flyers on Sunday in their first Pink in the Rink game. It's a 3 p.m. matinee. They'll be going against former goalie Kashton Payne, who faced 46 shots last night in a 6-1 loss to the Okotoks Bisons.

Pink in the Rink is in support of the Canadian Cancer Society.

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