The Steinbach Pistons beat the Swan Valley Stampeders by a score of 5-2 Friday evening in Swan River.
For the first two periods this game was a battle of the goalies and each team’s penalty kills shutting down the opposing teams powerplay.
Both the Stampeders and Pistons were generating scoring chances but neither goalie was letting anything by them and looking really comfortable and solid in net.
The Stampeders finally broke the scoreless tie at the 14:37 mark of the second period. Adam Rajsigl drove down low and centred the puck to Jakub Jones in the slot who put it past Dominik Wasik to make it 1-0.
Steinbach evened up the score at the 2:20 mark of the third period. Noah Szabo put a shot on net from the point with Dawson Milliken pouncing on the rebound, putting it past Kobe Grant to make it 1-1.
Steinbach took the lead 2-1 just over halfway through the final frame. Nick Mikan got the puck at the side wall and drove behind the net, squeaking the puck over the line on a nice wraparound.
Steinbach extended their lead to 3-1 with just under 5-minutes remaining with Landon Roberts getting the eventual game winner. Dawson Milliken put a puck on net with Roberts crashing the net and potting the rebound on the doorstep.
Landon Roberts drew a penalty late in the third as he layed out a Stampeders player with Tyler Park taking exception to that and slashing Roberts. The Pistons would use this powerplay to their advantage and score the first powerplay goal of the game. Davin Griffin got the puck to Davis Fry at the left faceoff dot who would walk right out front and put it past Grant to make it 4-1.
The Stampeders would get a powerplay goal of their own just over a minute later to make it 4-2. Trey Sauder centred the puck to Alex Walicki who ripped it past Wasik to bring them within 2.
The late powerplay goal by Swan Valley would be to no avail as Landon Roberts would seal the victory with an empty net goal to make it 5-2.
Both teams’ penalty kills looked great as the Pistons killed off 7/8 and the Stampeders killed off 6/7. Goaltending was also strong throughout as Wasik stopped 36/38 and Grant stopped 37/41.