Cullen Ingebritson scored the eventual game-winner at 3:19 of the third period as the Steinbach Pistons bounced back with a 6-4 victory in Game 3 in Virden. Without their starting goaltender Chris Quizi, the Pistons avoided falling into a 3-0 hole in the Turnbull Cup semifinals.
Steinbach’s starts had simply not been good through the first two games of the series. In Games 1 and 2 combined, they were outscored 6-2 and found themselves trailing 3-0 at points in both contests. However, the Pistons flipped the script in Game 3, scoring twice in the opening period and carrying a lead into the first intermission.
The Pistons opened the scoring just 2:13 into the first period on Connor Paronuzzi’s second goal of the playoffs. Captain Sam Noad followed with his fourth of the postseason a little over halfway through the frame to put the visitors up 2-0.
Virden answered quickly, cutting the lead to one just 1:01 after Noad’s goal when Cohen Lewko scored his third of the playoffs. Despite the response, Steinbach carried its first lead of the series through 20 minutes.
“I liked our mindset early on and (we) scored the first goal which was important,” Pistons head coach Paul Dyck said postgame when asked by Dave Anthony about his team’s effort. “I just liked our compete level. (Our) play away from the puck was better … it was definitely astep in the right direction for our group.”
The Oil Capitals tied the game 1:56 into the middle frame when London Hoilett made it 2-2. Steinbach responded shortly after, as Ryan McDonald restored the lead with a nice backhand finish at 6:44 for his first of the playoffs.
The back-and-forth continued throughout the second period. Liam Goertzen tied the game 3-3 at 9:12 before Grady Hoffman put the Pistons back in front with a laser past Braxton Burdeny for his third of the postseason. Virden answered again late in the period, as Bryce Bryant’s MJHL-leading ninth goal of the playoffs at 17:46 evened the score at 4-4 heading into the second intermission.
Ingebritson gave Steinbach the lead for good early in the third period with the eventual game-winner at 3:19. Hoffman later sealed the victory with an empty-net goal with less than 20 seconds remaining, his second of the night.
Easton Thvedt, making the start in place of Quizi, was solid between the pipes and turned aside 30 shots in the win.
Steinbach also saw contributions throughout the lineup, with depth players stepping up offensively. William Picklyk, Ingebritson and McDonald all recorded points.
“We know we have a ton of depth. We always talk about the next-man-up mentality,” Noad said postgame when asked by Dave Anthony. “We have a ton of confidence in the depth we have, and we’re confident those guys are going to get the job done.”
The Pistons are right back in action tomorrow night for Game 4. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. CT at Tundra Oil & Gas Place.
Article Written by Evan Waldner – Picture Courtesy of Kalee Haasbeek Photography
