Courtesy of TheCarillon.com
Team captain Tyler Penner scored two first period goals to lead the Steinbach Pistons to a huge 3-1 victory over the first place Portage Terriers in Manitoba Junior Hockey League action Wednesday night in Steinbach.
It was only the fourth loss in 26 games for the defending Canadian champion Terriers, who are having their second straight banner season. The third place Pistons, for that matter, are no slouch either as they improve to 17-6-2 on the season and to within three points of the second place Winkler Flyers.
Penner and his linemates, in fact took care of all the scoring last night for the Pistons as Dan Taillefer and Cole Smith each assisted on Penner’s two goals and then Smith, with his 11th of the campaign, also added an empty netter for a three-point outing. Penner also drew an assist on the Smith goal for a three-point game as the line had eight points in total. Penner and Smith are tied for the team lead in goals with 11. Meanwhile, Taillefer now has 32 points on the season, and has moved into seventh in league scoring.
The Pistons played with that 2-0 lead until the Terriers finally got on the board when Chase Brakel beat Roman Bengert with 5:35 left in the third. Bengert was again outstanding in net for the Pistons making 32 saves. Steinbach outshot Portage 36-33 in the contest.
Two other games in the MJHL Wednesday night saw the Virden Oil Capitals blank the Dauphin Kings 5-0 and the Swan Valley Stampeders downed the Neepawa Natives 5-2.
The Pistons continue their homestand with a pair of games this weekend against the two bottom clubs in the MJHL as they host the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Friday and the Neepawa Natives on Saturday with both those games getting underway at 7:00 p.m.