After the first two periods were quiet, the third and final period made up for it in spades.
Tanner Mole and Easton Bennett scored the goals that proved to be the difference as the Steinbach Pistons beat the Dauphin Kings 3-1 Saturday night at the TG Smith Centre.
Matt Radomsky made 22 saves for his league leading 18thwin of the season. Kings starter Bryan Landsberger was solid for Dauphin, stopping 33 of 36 shots in the loss.
The game started off slow as both teams fired eight shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes, but there was no scoring in the first.
Dauphin got on the board 1:57 into the second period, as Carter Sawchuk picked up a loose puck and put it past Radomsky for a 1-0 lead. Grady Hobbs and Kolby Johnson had the helpers on Sawchuk’s 11th of the season.
The Pistons tied it up four minutes later, as Caydin Cleland’s point shot was tipped home by Brendan Martin. Brendan Westbrook also picked up the secondary assist on Martin’s 24th of the season.
The final 20 minutes were filled with scrums and bru-hahas after every whistle by the officials. Mole gave the Pistons the lead 1:17 into the third, as his wrist shot from just inside the blue line beat Landsberger. Tyson McConnell and Westbrook had the assists on Mole’s 16th of the season.
The goal gave Steinbach a huge boost, as they found their legs and began to dominate the third period. Landsberger turned away Mole, Martin, and Kyle Bettens with game-saving saves. Eventually the Pistons scored on the power play to put the game away, as Bettens found Easton Bennett in the slot and the Minot native ripped it past Landsberger for a 3-1 lead. Declan Graham picked up the extra apple on Bennett’s 8th of the season with 5:25 to go.
Radomsky and the Pistons defense shut down Dauphin from there, and skated away with a 3-1 win.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 1 for 5 on the power play, while the Kings went 0 for 3 on their man advantages.
UP NEXT: Steinbach will not be in action until Friday, January 11th when they head back to Neepawa to play the Natives at 7:30 pm.