Copperheads offence ignites in home-ice victory over Cochrane

Posted on October 23, 2025 by Sunny South News

By Garrett Simmons
Sunny South News

It was an up-and-down weekend on the ice for the Coaldale Copperheads.

The team fell 8-3 on the road Friday in Medicine Hat but rebounded nicely only one day later with a big 6-2 win at home over Cochrane.

Friday’s game started off well enough, as Ryan Holm got the visitors on the board with an early goal in the first, as Kobe Fujita and Riley Preachuk drew the assists.

But it was all Cubs from there, as Medicine Hat scored three times in the first and three more times in the second, as the home side led 6-1 after 40.

The Copperheads made it interesting as Nathan Verloop made it 6-2, on a goal assisted by Brett Hudey and Cohen Richardson. Drake Olineck’s powerplay goal closed the gap to three, as Verloop added the helper on Coaldale’s third goal.

The Cubs put the game away with two late goals, as the home side wrapped up the contest with a 33-26 edge on the shot clock.

Brylin Noble allowed three goals on 18 shots, and Everett Hauck surrendered three on 15.

Coaldale put that rough game in the rearview mirror with a strong third period on Saturday. Cochrane did take a 1-0 lead early in the game, as the Generals skated to the first-period break with the lead.

Holm scored early in the middle frame to make it a 1-1 game before Cochrane regained the lead.

Barrett Van Nistelrooy tied things up with a goal in the second, assisted by Roan Crowe.

It was anyone’s game heading into the third but it did not take long for the home side to seize control, as Brinley Degenstein scored two minutes and 55 seconds into the frame. Crowe and Van Nistelrooy had the assists.

Fujita extended the lead on a goal assisted by Ryan Burrows, before Verloop really put things out of reach with Coaldale’s fifth goal.

Burrows added a late powerplay goal, assisted by Hudey and Verloop.

Coaldale ended the game with 37 shots to Cochrane’s 33, as Hauck made 31 saves to pick up the victory.

This weekend is a light one for the Copperheads, as the team has one Saturday-night game on the schedule. High River will be in Coaldale for an 8 p.m. puck drop.