The Steinbach Pistons took a 2-1 series lead over the Virden Oil Capitals Wednesday evening in a 5-4 OT win.
The Pistons opened the scoring at the 11:27 mark of the first period on the powerplay. Zach Power got the puck down low by the goal line and put the puck between Bailey Monteith’s shoulder and the post putting the Pistons up 1-0. Braden Birnie got the lone assist on the goal.
Virden would make sure to not go into the period break down as David Bielik took a shot from the point that a screened Simon Harkness did not see and tied the game up 1-1.
Trevor Hunt gave the Oil Capitals their first lead of the game at the 11:11 mark of the second period with David Bielik and Branden Huminuk getting the assists.
Steinbach got another powerplay marker with just under 2-minutes left in the period tying the game up 2-2. Braden Birnie picked up a loose puck in the high slot and ripped it top left corner. Ty Paisley got the assist on the goal.
Steinbach got another quick goal with 50 seconds left in the period to make it 3-2 as Davin Griffin sprung on a breakaway and put it past Monteith.
Steinbach went into the second intermission up 3-2 over Virden with the shot totals 15-11 for the Pistons.
Virden answered back just over 6-minutes into the third period as Dylan Halliday tied the game up 3-3 with Braden Fischer getting the assist.
Quinton Pepper restored the Pistons one goal lead, making it 4-3 just over a minute later. Pepper picked up a loose puck in the slot and out waited a sprawled-out Bailey Monteith and backhanded it into the net. Zach Power and Langley Kruggel got the assists on the play.
Virden made a final push with the goalie pulled in the final minute of the third. With a flurry in front of the Pistons’ net, the ref blew the play dead and awarded the Oil Capitals a penalty shot for a Pistons player closing their hand on the puck in the crease. Braden Fischer took the penalty shot for Virden and scored, going blocker side, and tying the game up 4-4 with 17 seconds left.
At the end of regulation, the game was tied 4-4 with the shot totals 24-17 for Steinbach and the game was headed to OT.
Steinbach got to work quickly in OT as Travis Hensrud and Jack Rogers generated a turnover in the offensive zone with Cooper Rice picking up the loose puck in the slot and putting it post and in for the 5-4 victory.