Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
It was a scoring bonanza for the Steinbach Pistons as they hit a season-high 9 goals against the Winnipeg Blues on Wednesday night.
A large part of the damage was done in the first 5-minutes of the game.
Hunter Degelman got he scoring party started by notching his 4th of the season off a wonderful shot that rang off the post and in to make it 1-0. Sam Noad kicked off his great night with the lone assist.
Less than a minute later, Kirk Mullen fought his way to the front of the net and cashed in after a pass from Brett Kaiser. Mullen’s 22nd of the season was also assisted by Ethan Johnson, he himself starting what would be a massive night.
Johnson would factor in on the next goal, which came just 36 seconds after the 2-0 marker. Brayden Berg knocked a puck out of the air and through the legs of the Blues netminder, scoring his 6th of the year. Johnson and Mullen each collected their second points of the period with the helpers.
Things evened out a bit but Steinbach never really allowed Winnipeg to get anything going in the offensive zone.
Mullen extended the lead with his second of the night after he bulled his way into the offensive zone, drove wide then snapped off a picture perfect shot for his 23rd of the season. Berg and Kaiser each had an assist on the 4-0 goal.
In the seconds, Berg was at it again, this time shorthanded. Noad stripped a Blues defender then saucered a pass over to Berg who wired his second of the night and 7th of the year to make it 5-0.
Jamie Fuchs kept his hot play of late going as the 19-year-old took a pass from Johnson and fired home his 16th of the year, all of which have been scored 5 on 5, to make it 6-0. Liam Doyle picked up the secondary assist and was key in the development of the goal as he had to wait at the blueline for his teammates to get onside.
Trey Sauder added to the lead a couple of minutes later as the 20-year-old thundered his way to the front of the net and popped home a lose puck for his 18th goal. Spencer Penner and Brandon Funk had assists.
Noad capped off his strong night finishing off a pass in the slot from Degelman for his 7th of the year, making it a 8-0 contest. Fuchs pocketed the other assist.
Winnipeg would break the goose egg, scoring late in the second to cut it to 8-1.
Berg capped off his first MJHL hattrick as he went to the net and cashed in off a lose puck. The goal was listed as unassisted but Kaiser and Mullen were big factors in the goal and it wouldn’t be surprising to see them get assists after the fact.
The score would hold 9-1 as Beck Liden picked up his second consecutive win in the crease stopping 24 of 25 shots.
Steinbach was 0-1 on the power play and a perfect 5-5 on the penalty kill.
The Pistons will head to Dauphin to matchup against the Kings on Friday night before returning home for an afternoon date with the Winkler Flyers at the HyLife Centre in La Broquerie.