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Cubs finish last place after win-less weekend

Feb 12, 2018 | 11:36 AM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs missed a big opportunity to climb the standings this weekend.

The Cubs finished off the season on a low note, getting thrashed 7-2 in Okotoks Sunday afternoon.

After back-to-back losses Medicine Hat finishes one point back of Strathmore, setting up a first round match-up with the 24-11-1 Cochrane Generals. The same Cochrane team that beat them 3-2 in Bow Island Saturday.

After the loss, the Cubs had to rebound quickly for their game at 2:00 p.m. in Okotoks. Fatigue may have been a factor early, with the Bisons jumping out to a 4-0 first period lead. Kian Simpson got the Cubs on the board late in the first, after getting a perfect redirect from a Joshua Schafer point shot on the powerplay.

The momentum from their late first period goal carried over into the second. Just 1:05 in the middle frame Cody Riehl caught the Bisons on a line-change, beating Nicholas Ewanchuk to cut the lead to two. Medicine Hat had a great chance to possibly tie the game, with a five-on-three powerplay for 6:02. The Cubs didn’t get many opportunities, as the Bisons killed off the penalties to take a 4-2 lead into the third period.

Okotoks rattled off three more goals in the third, to finish off the 7-2 win.

With the Strathmore Wheat Kings losing all three of their final games of the season, a fifth place finish was definitely possible for the Cubs, but they couldn’t take advantage of the situation. Had Medicine Hat pulled off a victory in either game, they would’ve played the 17-16-3 High River Flyers in round one.

The Cubs have their hands full with Cochrane, a team that peppered them with 70 shots on net in Saturday’s 3-2 loss in Bow Island.

With files from Chris Colwell (@Cjcolwell)