The Steinbach Pistons beat the Winnipeg Blues 5-4 in OT Friday evening at the TG Smith Centre.
The Pistons opened the scoring at the 8:29 mark of the first period. Langley Kruggel found a loose puck in the slot and buried it past Brock Moroz to make it 1-0.
The Blues tied it up 1-1 just under 2-minutes later. Ryland Kuczek took the puck from Noah Szabo and found Luke Janus in the slot who put it past Cole Plowman.
The game was tied at 1 going into the first intermission with the shot totals 10-9 for the Blues.
Luke Janus scored his second of the game just under 2-minutes into the second period. Janus put a puck on net from the high slot that squeaked through Plowman’s five hole making it 2-1.
The Pistons tied it back up 3-minutes later, on the powerplay. Leo Chambers drove to the net, putting a shot on net from a sharp angle with the rebound going to Landon Roberts in front who shoveled it in the net.
Winnipeg restored the one goal lead shorthanded, making it 3-2. The puck bounced around in the crease with Tazio Cianflone getting the last touch on it before it went in past Plowman.
The Blues started to pull away, making it 4-2 as Thomas Kaufield placed a shot perfectly over the glove of Plowman with just over 3 and a half minutes left in the second period.
Steinbach would bring it back to within one with Roberts getting his second of the game with 27 seconds left in the second period. Newly acquired forward Kirk Mullen made a nice move to get to the net with the puck getting to Roberts in front who put it past Moroz.
The Pistons tied it up 4-4 with just over 5-minutes remaining in the third period. Warren Clark made a great move around the Blues defender at the blueline, putting a wrist shot on net that Moroz did not see. Steinbach would get a few more chances but the game would head to OT.
OT was all Steinbach as they had many grade A scoring chances. Paisley got a great look off a nice cross crease pass from Hensrud but was turned away by Moroz.
Spencer Penner was then all alone in front but put the puck just over the bar resulting in OT continuing.
Steinbach finally found the back of the net in OT with Travis Hensrud getting the winner. Hensrud circled around the net and came out front putting the puck blocker side and past Moroz, securing the 5-4 win.