The Niverville Nighthawks’ penalty kill was sensational on Friday night, helping the team hold onto a lead, eventually claiming a 3-1 victory over the Steinbach Pistons.
First period
The Nighthawks started strong, pushing the Pistons back early and forcing the defenders into mistakes, one of which was a delay of game penalty.
Just over three minutes into the game, Niverville used the power play to open the scoring.
Evan Panzer crashed toward the net and took a beautiful pass from Jaden Mah, cashing in for his third of the year, making it 1-0 Niverville. Loik Leduc picked up the secondary assist.
Scary scene
With less than four minutes played in the game, Steinbach defender Zhenya Miles was hit into the boards and went down in a heap. Steinbach’s Jeff Eidse quickly rushed out and motioned for additional help from Niverville’s Justin Giesbrecht.
The two trainers managed to get Miles on his back, kept him from moving further, and called for additional support.
Both teams left the ice while firefighters and EMS made their way out several minutes after the original hit, keeping Miles supported while he remained on the ice.
An ambulance was called, and after some circumstances delayed their arrival, they were eventually able to get on the ice and get Miles onto the stretcher.
Miles was taken to the hospital in Winnipeg, and word around the area after the game was that he was overall okay and in decent spirits, hopeful he could go home as early as Friday night.
Resuming the first
When the game resumed, Steinbach went to work on a 5-minute power play, resulting from the hit that took Miles out of the game.
Niverville’s penalty kill dug in, and the best penalty kill team in the MJHL managed to get out of the full major penalty against, keeping the game 1-0.
Steinbach pushed the rest of the period, carrying play and generating some decent scoring chances. Niverville held the fort and kept the 1-0 lead going into the second.
Second period
In the middle frame, Steinbach continued to push for the equalizer, but Austin Dubinsky was an absolute star, turning away some glorious chances, keeping his team in front.
Not to be outdone, Chris Quizi of the Pistons did all he could to keep his team in the fight, battling some great chances by the Nighthawks.
Eventually, Niverville would solve the goalie, as Parker Rolston scored his first as a member of the Nighthawks, finishing off a great pass from Leduc in front, making it 2-0 for the home side. Thomas Phillips picked up the secondary assit.
Later on, Hayden Wheddon increased the lead further, walking out from behind the net, taking the space that the Pistons defenders allowed him, and firing home his 7th of the year from Parker Carrier and Adam Vigfusson.
Ryan McDonald would get Steinbach on the board as the 19-year-old took a pass from Logan Mehl, walked in and wired home his sixth of the season, bringing the game to 3-1. Kasen Mateychuk notched the secondary assist.
Third period
In the final frame, the Nighthawks’ penalty kill was called upon again, and thanks to incredible structure, some timely blocks, and key saves, they refused to let Steinbach back into the game.
Steinbach pushed but never got any closer, eventually running out of time and losing their first game of the year in regulation, 3-1.
Game notes
Dubinsky was named the game’s first star, finishing with 32 saves.
Quizi was named the game’s third star, finishing his night with 22 saves.
Steinbach’s power play was 0-4, while the Niverville power play was 1-3.
Up next
The two teams will meet again on Saturday night, as the scene shifts to the Southeast Event Centre.
(Content Provided by Steinbachonline.com – Picture Taken by Scott Stroh of Ice Wave Media)
