By Scott Roblin

Cubs come up short in Game 3, eliminated from HJHL playoffs

Feb 19, 2018 | 1:01 PM

COCHRANE, AB – A valiant effort from the Medicine Hat Travelodge Cubs as their season came to an end in a thrilling Game 3 against the Cochrane Generals on Sunday night.

The Cubs allowed a pair of goals in the final 10 minutes of regulation, dropping a 6-4 decision in Cochrane to lose their best-of-three series to the Generals 2-1.

Medicine Hat’s loss came one night after a career defining game from goaltender Josh Breznik, who stopped 80 of 81 shots he faced in a 2-1 Cubs win to keep their season alive.

Cochrane’s Will Gretton opened the scoring early in the first period, but the Cubs were able to find the equalizer less than six minutes into the elimination game.

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Following a Chris Sambrook go-ahead marker, Medicine Hat tied the game once again on the power play to send the game to the first intermission knotted at 2-2.

Exchanging goals in the second period, the Cubs and Generals went to the third down by a score of 4-3 with Cochrane once again outshooting Medicine Hat by a count of 26-18.

Medicine Hat tied the game on the power play once again in the third, but that’s when the game shifted back in the Generals favour.

A point shot from Austin Keller beat Breznik to take the lead, with Gretton completing the hat-trick shortly after to clinch the win and the series for Cochrane.

It’s the second straight year that the Cubs have been eliminated in the HJHL South quarter-finals, but it’s the first time Medicine Hat has forced a third game in that series since 2014.

Carrying no overage players on their team this year, all 23 rostered Cubs are eligible to return for the 2018-19 season, including Breznik, leading scorers Noah Irvine and Matt Clement, and captain Quinten Karg.

The Generals now advance to the HJHL South semi-finals, where they will face the Okotoks Bisons.