The Steinbach Pistons beat the Portage Terriers by a score of 5-3 Wednesday evening in Portage at Stride Place.
The Pistons opened the scoring at the 5:12 mark of the first period to make it 1-0. Hunter Degelman got the puck to Travis Hensrud at centre ice who then entered the offensive zone and put the puck over Monteith’s blocker into the back of the net.
Steinbach would extend their lead to 2-0 with just under 3-minutes remaining in the period. Hunter Degelman won the draw, with Jackson Kostiuk getting the loose puck to Noah Szabo at the point. Szabo found a lane and put the puck on net, getting it past Monteith who did not see the puck at all.
Steinbach would go into the first intermission up 2-0 with the shot totals 12-8 for the Pistons.
Portage would get on the board with a powerplay goal early in the second period. Brandon McCartney set up Ryan Botterill for a one timer at the right faceoff dot who ripped it past Cole Plowman to make it 2-1.
Just over a minute later the Pistons would restore the two-goal lead making it 3-1. Brett Kaiser had a great forecheck and stole the puck, and then set up Leo Chambers out front with a slick feed who put it past Monteith.
The Terriers powerplay would get back to work, scoring at the 8:51 mark of the second period to make it 3-2. Bryden Kiesman put the puck on net with Matt McLeod tipping the puck past Plowman and into the back of the net.
The Pistons would get a powerplay goal of their own, scoring on a beautiful passing play to make it 4-2. Ian Amsbaugh found Travis Hensrud across the zone at the right faceoff dot who then got the puck to a wide-open Leo Chambers in the high slot who put it past Moneith in the open net.
The Pistons would score a back breaker goal, extending their lead to 5-2 with 15-seconds remaining in the second period. Warren Clark forechecked and kept the puck in the offensive zone and found Ian Amsbaugh cutting to the net who put it blocker side and into the net.
Steinbach was up 5-2 after two periods of play with the shots on goal 22-21 for the Terriers.
Portage would make it 5-3 early in the third period with a powerplay goal. Austin Peters went on goal and found Kian Calder with a cross crease pass wide open on the doorstep who put it past Plowman.
Portage would bring the game to within two goals but no closer as the Pistons locked down the third period. The Terriers would bombard the Pistons, outshooting them 14-2 in the third period as the Pistons’ shortened bench was starting to show with the players starting to show signs of being tired. Nonetheless, Steinbach would shut down all of the Terrier’s attacks and secure the 5-3 win.