Drew Worrad had 2 goals, and Brendan Martin had a goal and an assist in his first game of the playoffs as the Steinbach Pistons defeated the Swan Valley Stampeders 5-1. With the win, the Pistons go up 2-0 in the series headed back to Swan River.
Matt Radomsky got the start in goal for Steinbach, and he made 20 saves in the victory. Ethan Peterson started for the Stamps, and he allowed 4 goals on 19 shots before being replaced by Brett Evans. Evans made 22 saves in relief.
All four Pistons lines have gotten involved in the first two games, with three lines doing the scoring tonight. “This is the first team I’ve been on that every line contributes,” Brendan Martin said after the game. “If one line isn’t having the greatest game, then you can rely on other lines to keep it going, so it’s awesome.”
The Pistons got the party started early in the first, as a Bradley Schoonbaert centering pass redirected off of a Swan skate, and Worrad pounced on the puck to put it in the back of the net. Schoonbaert picked up the assist on Worrad’s first of the playoffs at 1:05. Then a Riese Gaber outlet pass found the stick of Martin, and he fed it to Will Koop on a 2-on-1 break. Koop buried it to put Steinbach up two just 46 seconds later. The goal was Koop’s second of the playoffs.
Swan scored their first goal of the series just 38 seconds into the second period, as captain Keaton Jameson snapped a shot past Radomsky, with Connor Navrot picked up the lone assist. Then the defacto 4th line went to work, as Brady Tatro fed Tanner Mole out in front and Mole deposited the puck into the wide-open cage for the 3-1 lead. The goal was Mole’s 3rd goal in the first two games of the series, with Tatro and Easton Bennett picking up assists at the 3:25 mark.
Shortly after, Austin Heidemann threw a huge hit on Swan defenceman Lane Kirk, and the puck squirted out to Worrad. He tried to throw the puck out front for Schoonbaert, and it deflected off of a sprawling Quintin Sudom and into the net. Schoonbaert and Mark Taraschuk notched helpers at 4:02. Peterson was pulled, and Brett Evans replaced him in the Swan goal.
The physicality picked up in the series, as Braden Purtill and Brady Tatro threw huge hits at the end of the second. Then in the third, Easton Bennett and Taylor Dernyck of Swan picked up coincidental roughing minors for tussling after the whistle. The Pistons put it away shortly after, as Martin scored in front to complete scoring. Riese Gaber and Darby Gula picked up assists on Martin’s first of the playoffs.
“It was nice to be back in the lineup,” Martin remarked. “When you get a chance to play, you gotta play your heart out and do whatever you can to make the team better.”
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 0 for 4 on the PP, while Swan did not score on their 3 man advantages.
UP NEXT: The series now shifts to Swan River for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, Game 5 will be held on Friday night at the TG Smith Centre, with puck drop at 7:30 pm. You can listen to these next 2 games on MIX 96 and Steinbachonline.com with Dave Anthony, with the puck drop scheduled for 7:30 pm on both nights.