Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
It was one of the most complete team efforts and it came exactly when the Steinbach Pistons needed it to as they defeated the Blizzard 4-1 in game 6, forcing a deciding game 7 back in La Broquerie on Wednesday night.
It was an electric atmosphere in The Pas as the home fans hoped to push their team to victory.
Early in the first, Steinbach came out with speed and purpose. They forced plays all over the ice and had several good chances off of turnovers.
As the period went on, the Blizzard pushed back and took the game over for a stretch in the back half of the first.
The teams traded penalties and after some 4 on 4, the Blizzard used a shortened man advantage to get on the board first, scoring to make it 1-0 with less than a minute to go in the opening frame.
Steinbach responded less than five minutes into the second when Kirk Mullen took a pass from Conor Paronuzzi and wired home his team-leading 6th of the post-season, evening the game up at 1-1. Leo Chambers also picked up an assist as the captain did a lot of the hard work along the boards to help start the play in the first place.
The Pistons would get the lead a few minutes later as David Cote kept a puck in at the blueline by firing the disc over the net into the Blizzard zone. Brett Kaiser hustled and faked out his checker to gain a little space before sifting a pass to Sam Noad who snuck a puck through the Blizzard netminder and in for his second of the playoffs, putting Steinbach up 2-1.
Jackson Kostiuk would push the lead even further as the 18-year-old took a beautiful stretch pass from Shane Burns, turned on the jets, and tore into the Blizzard zone. Kostiuk’s speed caught the defender and goaltender off guard and by the time they figured out what was going on, it was too late as he rifled a puck top corner for his first career MJHL playoff goal.
The second came to an end with Steinbach up 3-1, just the second time in the series the Pistons have led by multiple goals.
In the third, the Pistons clamped things down. Strong defensive efforts from Burns, Liam Doyle, Parker Jasper, Spencer Penner, Cote, and Jack Cook kept the Blizzard from getting any kind of momentum. Even an early third-period power play couldn’t get things cranked up as the visitors snuffed out any hope, killing the clock slowly but surely.
Any question about the outcome was salted away when Burns set up Paronuzzi for his 4th of the playoffs as he snuck through the slot and wired home a wrister putting the away team up 4-1.
Cole Plowman put forth another strong effort, especially in the first period, finishing the night with 27 saves.
Steinbach’s power play was 0-1 while the penalty kill was 1-2.
Game 7 will be at the HyLife Centre on Wednesday night. The puck drops at 7:00 pm.