UPDATE: Good news has come down the pipes for the Gens Blue and Red Game on Sunday afternoon.

More than 100 spectators will now be allowed, providing safe social distancing is practiced.

Additionally, admission is free. Team officials say they want fans to come out and enjoy the game to check out what's in store this season.

Donations, though, are welcomed to help support our local junior hockey team.

The puck drops at 2:45 p.m. at the Cochrane Arena, on 4th Ave.

 

Fast-paced action is anticipated for this Sunday's Blue and Red Game of the Cochrane Generals.

With 16 veterans and nine new players, fans will get a sneak peek at the Gens solid lineup in advance of the start of the Heritage Junior Hockey League (HJHL) season.

Gens assistant coach Erik Krigel believes fans will be impressed with the calibre of play, even in this inter-squad game.

"The physicality that I think we'll have this season probably won't show up on Sunday but you'll see a heck of a lot of speed on Sunday."

The Gens have finalized their roster, and Krigel says the calibre of the players means coaches will face some tough decisions throughout the season.

"We have 22 skaters (plus three goalies), that, looking at the roster, game-day decisions will be based upon work ethic. To think that we have to sit three of the forwards that we have, it's going to be hard. They're all are of really good calibre, and it's going to be a difficult decision on which three to sit each game."

Not all of the recruit is new to junior hockey. There are some triple and double-A players joining the team as rookies, but they also attracted HJHL veterans from High River, Strathmore, and Medicine Hat.

Watch for more on these players.

The Gens will be playing a 20-game regular season, four games against each of their south division opponents. The cohorts for the Gens now include the Medicine Hat Cubs, Coaldale Copperheads, Lamond Lakers, Strathmore Wheatland Kings, and their arch-rivals, the Okotoks Bisons.

That's a change from what was originally looking to a cohort of teams from both north and south division. It excluded matchups normally look forward to against such teams as the Bisons and Copperheads. 

The Gens open their season on the road in Vulcan against the Lomond Lakers on Oct. 30. Two days late, the Gens host the Lakers in their season home opener.

Krigel says playing the Lakers first is to the Gens' advantage.

"This is probably the best-case scenario that we play Lomond in the first four games. Not having played any games yet, we'll be able to work out any kinks in those four games for what I believe will be harder challenges like Coaldale, Med Hat, Strathmore, and Okotoks."

At this point, there is a limit of 100 spectators at the Cochrane Arena, but officials are hopeful that will increase over time.

In the meantime, team management is working towards making advance tickets available online. As well, they are exploring the possibility of streaming some of their games, but that may prove to be difficult.

The puck drops Sunday at 2:45 p.m. at the Cochrane Arena, on 4th Ave.