The Pistons got goals from seven different forwards and six different players had multi-point efforts as Steinbach started out their final road trip of the season with a 7-2 win over the OCN Blizzard Friday night in The Pas.
Matt Lenz had a great effort in goal to pick up his 28th win of the season with 36 saves. OCN starter Danick Rodrigue gave up seven goals on 57 shots on goal.
The Pistons would work out the ‘bus legs’ to start the game, and OCN took advantage of that and got the first goal of the hockey game on a wicked wrister by Kobe Campbell. After the media break, it would be all Steinbach the rest of the way.
Joey Dosan would get things started as he made a nice move around Rodrigue in tight and put the puck in the back of the net for his first career MJHL goal. Kasyn Kruse and Max Neill had the assists on the milestone moment for the Bloomington rookie to tie the game at 1-1 with just over four to play.
It was also a special day for Ryan Butler, who made his first trip back to The Pas after spending the first part of the season with OCN. He scored the go-ahead goal for Steinbach with 1:22 left in the first period, sliding the puck underneath Rodrigue from the left wing. Zach Purcell and Carter Loney would get helpers on Butler’s 5th as a Piston and 22nd on the year.
The Pistons continued to control the play in the second period and would pot another pair to extend their lead to three. Zach Purcell continued to do what he’s been doing lately, and that’s score goals as he netted his 31st on the season from Loney and Dylan Cassie at the 6:42 mark.
Ty Naaykens would give the Pistons a 4-1 lead just over halfway through regulation, as he took a backhand pass from Kyle Bettens and beat Rodrigue in the slot. The Pas native Bryce Young, also playing his final junior game in his hometown area, had the extra helper on Naaykens’ 22nd on the campaign.
Steinbach would break the game open in the third period. Kyle Bettens would tap the puck in off of a nice pass from Young for his 17th goal of the season for a 5-1 Pistons lead with 8:18 left. Neill would get into the scoring party with 7:35 to play on a nice wrist shot from the slot that found the back of the net, with Codey Behun and Kasyn Kruse picking up the apples on his 13th goal on the season.
Carter Loney would cap a three-point night for himself as he beat Rodrigue upstairs for his 15th of the season from Butler with six minutes remaining.
OCN would conclude the scoring 19 seconds after the Loney marker on a goal by Boston Bird, but the Pistons would skate away from The Pas with two points to start out their weekend road swing.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 0 for 3 on the power play while they killed off a short Blizzard man advantage in the third period.
UP NEXT: Steinbach travels to Swan River tomorrow for games Saturday and Sunday against the Swan Valley Stampeders. Puck drop for tomorrow’s contest is at 7:30 pm, catch the game live on HockeyTV or on your radio at MIX 96 and Steinbachonline.com.