Drew Worrad recorded a hat-trick and two assists on the night, as the Steinbach Pistons got back to winning ways with a convincing 10-2 victory over the Winnipeg Blues.
Bradley Schoonbaert and Braden Purtill each had 4 points on the night, and Kyle Bettens recorded his first three points in his first MJHL game.
Bettens spent his first game on the Pistons top line with Schoonbaert and Worrad. “Once I saw my name there, I got pretty excited,” Bettens said after the game. “Overall I thought the game was awesome, and I had a great experience.”
Matthew Thiessen made the start for the Pistons tonight, making 23 saves in the victory. “We competed the whole sixty minutes and that’s what brought us up to the level that we can play at,” he said. “But we still have room to get better throughout the year, and tonight was a solid effort by our team.”
Blues D-man Dylan Cassie got the scoring started with his 4th of the season to give the Blues a short-lived lead. Schoonbaert quickly responded with his 19th of the season from Bettens and Worrad. Will Koop gave Steinbach the lead with his 12th of the year with Daniel McKitrick and Purtill picking up the assists. Worrad got his first on the night with 3 minutes remaining in the first period to make it 3-1.
Austin Heidemann scored his 11th of the year with Mark Taraschuk and Tyson McConnell picked up the helpers early in the second period. Worrad tallied his second of the night just a minute later to put the game out of reach at 5-1. Worrad completed his hat trick with 73 seconds remaining to cap the second period scoring for Steinbach.
Tyson McConnell, Braden Purtill (2), and Darby Gula had the other markers for Steinbach. Dexter Kuczek had the other goal for the Blues.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons did not have to kill off a penalty, and went a perfect 2 for 2 on the power play.
UP NEXT: Steinbach hits the road for the next five games, beginning this weekend with two games against the Virden Oil Capitals.