In front of a packed Southeast Event Centre on Saturday night, Steinbach Pistons goalie Easton Thvedt put on a show, making 33 saves, and Ryan McDonald continued his hot streak, scoring twice in a 5-2 win over the Virden Oil Capitals.
First period
A common theme of the night was evident right from the start, and it was the fact that neither team would have much time and space through the neutral zone.
Time after time, both the Pistons and the Oil Caps were forced into turnovers by tight defensive play.
Steinbach’s power play would get them on the board.
As Virden tried to kill time by pressing the puck along the boards, the Pistons outworked the Oil Caps, freeing the puck. Grady Hoffman bullied his way toward the front of the net, but his attempt was stopped. The rebound popped out to Jack Greenwell, but his chance was also turned away. That rebound came free to Luke Bogart, who was finally able to find the back of the net after the first two glorious chances were turned away.
Bogart’s first of the season was his first goal since December 14th, 2024, and put Steinbach ahead 1-0 with Hoffman and Greenwell getting the assists.
Thvedt wasn’t overly tested as shots for both sides were kept mainly to the outside, but he made all 8 saves he was asked to.
Second Period
In the middle frame, Thvedt’s workload would pick up substantially, but not until the final minutes of the period.
Much like the first, both teams worked hard to limit time and space for the other.
Another Pistons power play would allow them to grow the lead.
Evan Kable fired a shot from the point that was tipped in front by Logan Mehl. Mehl’s deflection was stopped, but Evan Gradt was right there to pounce on the rebound and tuck home his 5th of the season.
Down by two late in the period, the Oil Caps used a power play to start building momentum.
The visitors carried play for a solid few minutes, but Thvedt and some solid defensive work by Steinbach kept the Oil caps from finding the back of the net.
Facing 16 shots in the period, again, Thvedt was perfect, stopping all 16, holding the 2-0 lead going into the final period.
Third period
Virden was finally able to break through the force field that Thvedt had set up, but it took a bit of a lucky break to do it.
While controlling play in the offensive zone, a backchecking Oil Cap not only stopped the work of the Pistons, but started play the other way. After the Oil Caps worked their way back into the offensive zone, a shot from the wall deflected off a Pistons defender in front of Thvedt and in, cutting the lead to 2-1.
Cue the Ryan McDonald show.
The 19-year-old has been on an absolute tear since returning to the lineup, and he continued that torrid play by scoring his 4th goal of the year, restoring Steinbach’s two-goal lead at 3-1. McDonald pounced on a rebound after Eric Han had driven the net, trying to deflect a Zhenya Miles pass, but it hit off the post. A scramble ensued, and the first one to find the loose puck was McDonald, who knocked it in.
Just over three minutes later, McDonald was at it again as another penalty proved costly to Virden.
Brody Green and Kable worked the puck at the top of the offensive zone. Green put a shot toward the net, but it failed to reach the goal, instead hitting a body in front and finding the stick of McDonald, who fired one on goal, having it glance off a defender in front and in for his second of the night and 5th of the campaign.
The power play marked put Steinbach up 4-1.
With the net empty and on a power play of their own, the Oil Caps scored to cut the lead to 4-2, but that would be as close as they would get.
Pulling the goalie again left the net open and allowed Hoffman to sift one down the ice toward the yawning cage. An Oil Cap defender turned on the jets and raced all the way back, knocking the puck from the goal and crashing into the post for his effort.
With under ten seconds to go, Hoffman would get another chance to hit the open cage, and this time, he could celebrate his first goal of the season, and first-ever goal at the Southeast Event Centre.
Greenwell and Miles both picked up their second points of the night, sealing the victory by a 5-2 score.
Thvedt finished with nine saves in the period, backstopping the Pistons to a very solid home win.
Game notes
Steinbach’s power play was a big reason for the victory, finishing a very strong 3 for 4. The penalty kill was also very good, going 4 for 5.
Thvedt was named the game’s first star for his 33-save performance.
Forward Brett Kaiser was out of the lineup serving his one-game suspension. Defenders Liam Doyle and Rory Gilmour were also out, serving the first games of their two-game suspensions, respectively.
With the win, Steinbach is now 10-0-1 on the season, and tied for top spot in the MJHL with 21 points, but has played one less game than the team they are tied with.
The next game will be on Friday night at the CRRC in Niverville, as it’ll be the first regular-season meeting between the Pistons and the Niverville Nighthawks.
