The Steinbach Pistons beat the Winnipeg Freeze by a score of 6-2 Saturday evening at the Bell MTS Iceplex.
The Pistons opened the game with lots of zone time and shots on net, but the Freeze got on the board first. With their first shot of the game, Tristan Bear put the puck top corner past Cole Plowman to make it 1-0.
Steinbach continued to apply offensive pressure but could not solve Freeze goaltender Michael O’Sullivan. The Pistons finally solved O’Sullivan as Neo Kiemeney scored on the powerplay from Ian Amsbaugh and Langley Kruggel to tie the game 1-1.
In the dying seconds of the first period Pistons defenceman Hugo Larkin got in a fight with Freeze forward Elliot Perreault but Larkin was the only one to drop their gloves, so the Freeze were awarded a 5-minute powerplay to start the second period.
The game went into the first intermission tied 1-1 with the Pistons outshooting the Freeze 25-4.
The Pistons penalty kill got to work to start the second period and killed off the full 5-minute penalty while not conceding a single shot on net over that time.
Steinbach took their first lead of the game just under 6-minutes into the second period. Davis Fry got the puck to a trailing Dawson Milliken who ripped it blocker side to make it 2-1.
The Pistons scored 45-seconds later with Leo Chambers getting the eventual game winner. Leo Chambers entered the offensive zone on a 3 on 2, dropping the puck for Ian Amsbaugh who then got it back to Chambers who put it low glove side to make it 3-1.
Steinbach would extend their lead to 4-1 on the powerplay with five and a half minutes remaining in the period. Davis Fry gave a slap pass to Davin Griffin in the slot who redirected it on net past O’Sullivan.
At the end of two periods of play the Pistons were up 4-1 with the shot totals 43-7 for Steinbach.
Steinbach got to work quickly in the third period as they extended their lead to 5-1 at the 1:15 mark of the period. Dawson Milliken had the puck at the side boards and found Davis Fry cutting to the net in front and put it in on the doorstep.
Steinbach closed out their scoring with a powerplay marker at the 3:52 mark of the third period. Davis Fry got the puck down low to Ty Paisley who gave a beautiful cross crease, no look between the legs pass to Dawson Milliken who one timed it past O’Sullivan to make it 6-1.
The Winnipeg Freeze would close out the scoring for the game as Evan Stirling scored from Kaden Stewart and Davis Thompson with just under 4-minutes remaining to make it 6-2.
Steinbach would go on to close out the game 6-2 while drastically outshooting the Freeze 54-16.