If hacking is a style, the High River Flyers wore it in game one of the HJHL south division quarterfinals last night in Cochrane.

They may want to reconsider their tactics in tonight's game in High River, though, after the Gens dumped them 11-2 to take the first of a best-of-three series. Or they may step it up a notch on home ice in a do-or-die game.

The Gens opened a 4-1 lead in the first, doubled their count by the end of the second and scored three more in the third before the Flyers responded with their only other goal on a powerplay with six-minute remaining in the third.

Gens' goalie Erik Garber points the way to the dressing room while Liam Thiessen is escorted off the ice after instigating a fight with the Taylor Girard.

The Flyers pinched their defence early in the second and that lead to the Generals commandeering three goals in less than two minutes to open a 7-1 lead. The brutal stickwork and illicit hits that followed escaped the attention of the refs and by the third, the Gens had had their fill.

While tongue-lashing the Flyers, the Gens Braden Bain pointed to the clock as the 10-minute mark of the third approached (any fight in the last 10 minutes of a game is an automatic game suspension), foretelling the fights that would follow. Two occurred in two seconds. Flyer Liam Thiessen instigated a fight against Taylor Girard and one second later on a faceoff, Payton Silvester instigated a fight against Harry Olser. Five roughing penalties followed as the clock wound down. 

Still, Gens head coach Travis McMillan praised his team for the composure they displayed in a hostile game.

"It was a good game on our part," says McMillan. "In the first period the guys did their jobs in the second period we did the exact same thing."

"Unfortunately, it got carried away in the second and third period with a couple of fights and such but the guys kept their composure, they stuck up for each other and we played a huge game, so that's why we took away two points."

The Gens continue to spread around the scoring to all their lines in what has been their trademark all season. It was a four-point night for defenceman Jordan Marks (one goal, three assists) while Ben Davison scored two goals in one shift just 16 seconds apart to close out the Gens scoring.

Singles went to Chris Sambrook, Caden Chudleigh, Carter Cugnet, Keenan McElroy (two-point night), Braden Bain (three-point night), Taylor Girard (three-point night), Brandon Aab (two-point night) and Jaeden Dowling. 

Other assists were spread between Ryan Davis, Zach Cugnet (2), Scott Shugg (2), Jordan Fisher (2), Harry Olser (2), 

Erik Garber got the call to play between the pipes and stopped 20 of the 22 shots he faced. The Gens bombarded the Flyers, who used both of their goalies, with 63 shots.

Don't count out the Flyers yet, though; home ice does have its advantage.

"We just got to keep doing exactly what we did in the first period, it was a great first period by our guys. and tomorrow we need to come in with the same mentality," said McMillan last night. "Obviously, there's going to be some serious pushback because they are playing in their own rink and they expect to play a good game in front of their fans so we just have to make sure that doesn't happen."

Should a third game be required the series returns to Cochrane on Sunday at 6 p.m.

HJHL playoff wrap up

Elsewhere in the HJHL, the Medicine Hat Cubs won two straight against the Strathmore Wheatland Kings to advance to the south division semifinals.

In the north division, its Blackfalds advancing after winning two straight against Stettler and the Mountainview Colts lead their series against Ponoka after a 5-1 win in game one.