Courtesy of TheCarillon.com
The Steinbach Pistons got the job done in dramatic fashion Sunday night at Swan River as the Pistons defeated Swan Valley Stampeders 2-1 in a shootout. That completed a three-game weekend sweep for the Pistons following their victories in Virden Friday and Saturday.
Steinbach dominated play against the Stampeders, but it took some late-game heroics to pull this one out for the Pistons. Swan Valley took a 1-0 lead late in the first and the Pistons would spend the next 40 minutes in attempts to get the equalizer. The Pistons applied intense pressure in the third, outshooting the Stampeders 28-9, but Stampeders’ netminder Zach De Graves was equal to the task as he kept the Pistons off the scoresheet for nearly 59 minutes.
But finally, big Steinbach rearguard Eddie Eades, assisted by Tyler Penner, tied the game with just 1:06 remaining in regulation. Bradley Schoonbaert scored the winning goal for the Pistons in the fifth round of the shootout.
Steinbach outshot Swan Valley 51-24 in all, 42-12 in the final two periods alone. Roman Bengert picked up his 14th win of the season in nets for the Pistons.
The Winkler Flyers also won in a shootout, 4-3 over the Blues, meaning the Pistons (22-7-2) and Flyes remain tied for second place in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League standings.
The Pistons are back on home ice Wednesday night at the T.G. Smith Centre as they host the Neepawa Natives at 7:30 p.m.