Courtesy of TheCarillon.com
The Winkler Flyers blanked the Steinbach Pistons 1-0 Thursday night in Steinbach in the opening game of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League semi-finals.
Leading up to the opening game of this big series, Pistons coach Paul Dyck, talking about the fact these teams hadn’t faced each other in nearly three months, with their last meeting coming on Dec. 1 said, “both teams have some different personnel, we haven’t seen their new goalie Warren.”
Well, the Pistons have seen him now. Nathan Warren absolutely stymied the Pistons as he made 44 saves in the 1-0 shutout. The lone goal in the game came late in the first period as Colton Bates beat Roman Bengert.
The Pistons outshot the Flyers 44-25, including 32-11 in the final 40 minutes as the Pistons had intense pressure in attempts to get the equalizer.
Most pundits expect this to be a long series. The Pistons finished second in the regular season standings with a mark of 45-10-5, six points ahead of the third place Flyers.
Game two in the best of seven series goes Saturday at 8:00 p.m. at Winkler and then back in Steinbach for game three Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, the other series between the leading Portage Terriers and fifth place Winnipeg Blues begins Friday night at Portage. The Blues advanced with a 2-0 game seven victory over Virden on Wednesday.