Article Courtesy of Steinbachonline.com – Picture Courtesy of Adeline Loewen Photography
In a game where the Steinbach fans paid for the whole seat but only needed the edge, the Pistons came out with their most complete effort of the postseason winning game three 6-3 and cutting the Winkler Flyers series lead to 2-1.
A good effort from top to bottom tonight made Paul Dyck quite a happy coach. “Pleased with the effort tonight,” Dyck said post game. “Pleased with the resiliency that we showed.”
After the Pistons had fallen behind early in the first period, Dan Taillefer snapped home a wrist shot and tied things up at a goal apiece heading into the second period.
In the second period, the Pistons and Flyers traded chances again but this time, it was the Pistons getting the bounces they needed. After Winkler had scored to take the lead again, Roman Bengert made a save and the puck went to Ryan Carlson, who took matters into his own hands rushing the puck up the boards and firing it on the net. There was a huge rebound that went right to the waiting stick of Denis Bosc, who made no mistake rippling the twine, knotting the game at two.
Just over a minute later, Julien Koga, who was playing his first game after being out with an injury, went to the net with his stick on the ice and was rewarded with a tap-in, making it 3-2 Pistons. Jordan Bochinski and Matt Gomercic picked up assists on the goal. The Flyers would even things up before the period would end and the third period would start with the scoreboard reading 3-3.
Roman Bengert, who at times in the playoffs fought the puck a little bit, came up with his biggest performance of the postseason, standing tall early in the final frame making a couple of huge saves. It was a real statement for Bengert and he provided the lift the Pistons needed.
On the power play, Quintin Lisoway fired a laser beam from the point and that made it 4-3. Taillefer added an empty-netter while Bochinski received a gift after the Flyers netminder passed the puck to the waiting forward, giving Steinbach the 6-3 final. Bradley Schoonbaert, Bosc and Connor Martin had assists in the period.
It was a terrific hockey game with both sides getting chances, lots of wide open play and only three combined penalties. The Pistons went 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. The shots on goal were 45-27 for Steinbach.
The series shifts back to Winkler for game 4 on Friday night. Catch the game on AM1250 Radio and SteinbachOnline.com with the pre-game show starting at 7:15 pm and puck drop at 7:30 pm.