Not only was the Southeast Event Centre jam-packed for the highest-attended Steinbach Pistons game of the season, but it was also a tight thriller from start to finish as the Pistons took down the league-best Niverville Nighthawks 4-2 to earn their sixth consecutive win.
Steinbach broke the goose egg 8:44 into the opening period. Brett Kaiser entered the Nighthawks’ zone through the middle and sent a pass to Liam Doyle coming up the right side. Doyle fired a shot from the top of the right circle that Ben Chornomydz made a stick save on. The puck popped into the air, causing a scramble in the crease before it came out to Jackson Kostiuk at the top of the crease, and he roofed it under the bar for his seventh of the year to make it 1-0.
Niverville answered back on the power play at 10:45 with Hayden Wheddon’s 27th of the campaign, beating Pistons netminder Chris Quizi.
After the opening 20 minutes, the game remained tied, with Steinbach holding an 11-10 edge in shots.
Connor Paronuzzi, who scored twice including the overtime winner in Wednesday’s win in Neepawa, restored Steinbach’s lead with his fifth of the season. Rory Gilmour held the puck along the left-side wall in the Nighthawks’ zone, cut to the top of the left circle, and spotted Paronuzzi wide open near the right faceoff dot. He sent a pass across, and Paronuzzi blasted a one-timer past Chornomydz.
Niverville went to the power play, but Steinbach struck shorthanded. Ryan McDonald and Cole Cairns broke out on a 2-on-1, with McDonald sending a pass to Cairns before Cairns returned it to McDonald on the doorstep, where he poked it in on his backhand for his 16th of the season.
After the middle frame, Steinbach held a two-goal cushion while Niverville led the shots 22-21.
Niverville attempted a late comeback in the third. They got within one at 18:22 when Marlen Edwards scored his 14th, followed by some dangerous chances in tight around Quizi. Cairns added an empty-netter with 27 seconds left to seal the 4-2 win, his sixth of the year.
Steinbach continues to roll, as Quizi made 30 saves to help his club improve to 37-8-2. They’ve all but locked down second place in the division and league, but still sit five points back of the Nighthawks for first in the MGEU East Division with 11 games remaining.
The Pistons are back in action Saturday in Selkirk at the Selkirk Recreational Complex against the Steelers, looking to extend their winning streak to seven games. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m., with the game available on FloHockey.
Picture taken by Patrick Friesen – Article written by Evan Waldner
