Ian Barteaux’s third period goal helped the Lacombe Generals beat the Innisfail Eagles 2-1 before a capacity home crowd on Sunday morning.

“When you keep going around the (offensive) zone, around and around and around, something opened up so it’s never a bad idea to put it on net. Was going glove-side all game, decided to change it up and went (blocker-side) and it went in. Lucky me,” Barteaux said about his goal.

Kyle Bailey scored the Generals’ first goal in the second period. Jeff Rollins tied it up for the Eagles.

Lacombe outshot Innisfail 32-26 in the game.

It was the last regular season game for the Generals, who beat the Fort Saskatchewan Chiefs 8-0 the night before.

They finish with an 18-4-2 record, in second place of the Allan Cup Hockey West, and will play the Chiefs in the first round of the provincial playoffs starting Feb. 19th.

Head coach Sean Robertson said Sunday’s crowd was a good taste of the excitement to come.

“You get goosebumps when you show up at the rink. You go out for warmups and the rink’s getting busy, it’s loud, best time of year to play in,” Robertson said. “We all know that we got a bunch of guys that have done it in the past and they relish it.”

The Generals host Stony Plain on Friday, Feb. 9th at 8:30 p.m. down at the Gary Moe Auto Group Sportsplex, the winner being crowed this year’s Allan Cup West Hockey league champion.