After a full week off, the Pistons got back to their winning ways as seven different players had goals in a 7-2 win over the OCN Blizzard Saturday night.
Coming off of a tough 5-2 loss to the Portage Terriers in which the coaching staff was not happy with the team’s effort, the Pistons came to the rink tonight focused and ready to win.
Matt Radomsky bounced back with a solid 20 save performance in net for Steinbach. Blizzard starter Noah Giesbrecht made 30 saves in the loss.
Tanner Mole got the goal party started, as he took a centering feed from Brendan Westbrook to make it 1-0 3:34 in. Westbrook and Tyson McConnell had the assist on Mole’s 10thgoal of the season.
The captain extended the lead for Steinbach, as he tipped in a Liam Anderson point shot at the 6:19 mark for a 2-0 advantage. Just as McConnell’s goal was going to be announced, OCN scored eight seconds later as James Maxwell took advantage of a Troy Williams turnover right in front of Radomsky, and it was 2-1.
The Pistons got the two goal lead back before the period ended, as Westbrook tipped home an Easton Bennett point shot on the power play for a 3-1 lead. Bennett and Mole had the apples on Westbrook’s 4thof the season.
Steinbach came out flying in the second, as Brady Tatro outwaited Giesbrecht and buried his 12thof the season top shelf for a 4-1 Pistons lead 1:45 into period 2. Linemates Boedey Vaeth and Brendan Martin drew the assists. A minute later, Jack Kilroy scored his first MJHL goal as he tipped home a Easton Bennett pass off of OCN defender Darren Gisti and in. Marcel Berube had the secondary helper, as Kilroy celebrated by throwing the monkey off of his back as Nikolaj Ehlers did, and the Pistons had a 5-1 lead.\
OCN drew a bit closer, as Cole Haukaas’s point shot got through and beat Radomsky to make it 5-2 with just over nine minutes to go in period 2.
The Pistons added two in the third period to give the fans at the TG Smith some free pancakes courtesy of Smitty’s. Troy Williams’ clapper from the point beat Giesbrecht clean and made it 6-2 halfway through the final frame. Martin and Vaeth assisted on Williams’ 3rdof the season.
And with 1:15 to go, Martin took a sweet feed from Vaeth to make it 7-2 Steinbach. Tatro also assisted on the goal, giving the top line eight points on the night. Vaeth was named the game’s first star with three helpers, while Martin had himself a three point night with 1 goal and two assists.
PISTONS D-MAN MAKES DEBUT
Defenceman Landon Johnson made his Pistons debut tonight. Johnson, a 19 year old from Little Falls, Minnesota, signed with the team this past week. Although he didn’t register a point he was solid in his debut, pairing with Tristan Culleton for most of the night.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons were 2 for 3 on the power play, while OCN was 0 for 3.
UP NEXT: It’s a 2018 Turnbull Cup rematch tomorrow night at the TG Smith Centre, as the Pistons host the Virden Oil Capitals at 7:00 pm. Get your tickets for that game online at Steinbachpistons.ca.