Kyle Bettens netted the game-winner 34 seconds into 3-on-3 OT as the Steinbach Pistons came back to beat the Swan Valley Stampeders 3-2 Saturday night.
It was a goaltending duel all night between Swan Valley goalie Mikael Foucher and Pistons netminder Danton Belluk, who was making his first start as a Piston after spending the first part of the season with the WHL’s Regina Pats. Belluk got the win with 37 saves on the night, while Foucher stopped 39 of 42 in the extra time loss.
The Pistons got on the board first just like they did on Friday night. Max Neill and David Queree combined to set up Troy Beauchemin in the slot, and the Ile des Chenes native beat Foucher under the glove 6:01 into the game to grab a 1-0 lead for Steinbach.
Swan Valley quickly counter-punched five and a half minutes later on a wrap-around marker by Nathan Carl to square things up. Then the Stampeders would take the lead on the power play on a one-time goal by Tommy Cardinal with 4:23 remaining in the opening stanza.
The Pistons would get their opportunities to tie the game up in the second period, as Swan took five minor penalties in the frame. Steinbach put 10 shots on goal on four extended power plays, but could not beat Foucher. Belluk was doing his best to keep the home team in it.
The third period was much like the second, with neither team giving an inch in their own zones. The Pistons built momentum after two big penalty kills and then got an offensive zone faceoff with 1:21 to go, giving Paul Dyck a chance to use his timeout.
With Belluk pulled for the extra attacker, Codey Behun won a critical faceoff back to Declan Graham. Graham slid it over for Bryce Young, who let go a clapper from the point that Behun tipped by Foucher to tie the game with 1:15 to go. The goal gave Behun his team-leading 13th of the season, and nine of them have come in the third period or overtime.
That goal forced an extra session, and Kyle Bettens would play the hero card. He stripped a Stampeder in his own zone, raced around the net, and made a nice deke around a defender to put him on a breakaway. Bettens made no mistake, tucking the puck around the left pad of Foucher to seal the comeback and give Steinbach a big two points.
With the win, the Pistons move back into 1st place in the MJHL standings with one game in hand on the Portage Terriers, whose game got postponed earlier this afternoon due to icy road conditions.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 0 for 6 with the man advantage, while the Stampeders went 1 for 5.
UP NEXT: The Pistons will play another back-to-back this coming Tuesday and Wednesday, as Steinbach travels to the capital of Manitoba to face the Blues at the Rink Training Centre. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 pm, catch that game live on HockeyTV.