The underdog story of the HJHL season continues to turn heads. 

The High River Brewing Co. Flyers beat the Cochrane Generals 4-3 in overtime last night to take round one of the best of three series 2-games-to-1.

The Flyers flew into Cochrane last night for the deciding game and it was Ethan Burgeson scoring the game and series winning goal at the 1:30 mark of overtime to send the Flyers onto round two of the HJHL playoffs.

The Generals got on the scoresheet first on a short-handed goal in the first period, but it was all Flyers in the second.  Rookie leader Connor Smith connected on the powerplay and scored his first HJHL playoff goal on assists from Burgeson and Jager Marshall. Brandon Jarman would add another from McCallum Bakken to end the second with a 2-1 lead. 

High River would take a 3-1 lead in the third off a goal from Eric Vassell with assists from Markus Vassell and Taylor Madsen. However, the Generals would march back and score a pair of goals midway through the third period within a minute and a half to even up the score.  And at the end of 60 minutes the game was still knotted at 3 sending it into overtime.  Burgeson was the O.T. hero, assisted by Bakken and Jarman.  It was Burgeson's second goal of the series.  Parker Forrest played between the pipes for the Flyers again, stopping 24 of 27 shots.

The Flyers just made it into the playoffs thanks to a late surge in the season and jumped over the Strathmore Wheatland Kings into the final playoff spot in the south division and now they're moving onto round two.

There's no time for rest either as the Flyers now face off against the #1 team in the league, the Carstar Okotoks Bisons.

The Bisons had a bye in the first round so should be well rested before they get set to host the Flyers tonight, Saturday Feb. 24 at 5:15 p.m. in the Murray arena.  The Bisons also have home ice advantage.

Round two in the HJHL playoffs are also best of five series instead of the best of three in round one.

Game two goes in High River on Monday night at 7:30 at the Bob Snodgrass Rec Plex with game three back at the Murray on Tuesday night at 8:15.

Game four, if needed, will be played in High River but the date and time have yet to be finalized but if a game five is needed it's in Okotoks next Saturday, March 2nd at 8 p.m.

The Flyers had a stellar return after the Christmas break going on a seven-game winning streak entering the playoffs. The Bisons, affectionately known as the Herd, only lost 3 games during the regular season but one of those loses was at the hands of the Flyers.  The Flyers shut them out 4-0 on Friday Jan. 20, 2024.

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