The Cochrane Generals are regrouping and want to wrap up their south HJHL semifinal series against the Okotoks Bisons on Thursday after suffering a 3-1 lost on the road last night.

With the Gens leading the series 3-0, the Bisons had their backs to the wall and came out determined to win.

"It was a tough battle," says Gens head coach Travis McMillan. "You could tell right off the first faceoff they had a little bit of an extra step obviously being in a do-or-die situation. They took control with a heavy forecheck and had good goaltending. We had to weather the storm, but we couldn't do that so Game 5 is in Cochrane on Thursday."

No one likes to lose but in this case, Gens fans may be the winner.

"Fortunately enough for our fans, they'll be able to see us again in this second round. We just have to make sure that we do all of the small things that we've been doing to win games and take care of business," says McMillan.

Emotions overflowed for some Bisons fans and that lead to an attack on the Gens players when they were heading to their dressing room at the end of the third. None of the Bisons players or their management were involved in the skirmish that followed.

Okotoks' Murray Arena doesn't have a barricade between the stands and the players' entrance, explains McMillan, and at the end of the game, a number of Bisons fans were waiting for the Gens in the tunnel.

"Unfortunately it escalated in the stands and a handful of their fans were taunting some of our players and shouting some verbal abuses at them and it escalated from there."

"It got out of control and it was unnecessary and unwarranted but we'll be making sure it doesn't happen again."

The Gens and Bisons have been rivals for years and the end result is exciting matchups.

"The Okotoks organization is phenomenal. They've been a staple in Okotoks for a number of years now They've always had good hockey teams and when we come together it's great hockey, it's phenomenal hockey; you can't say anything less."

The Bisons scored in the first minute of play and by the end of the second the Gens had tied it up on a goal by Caden Chudleigh from Braden Bain and Justin Berube.

Just 47 seconds into the third the Bisons took a 2-1 lead and put in an assurance goal halfway through the period.

Thursday night's game at the Cochrane Arena starts at 7:45 p.m.