With an assist on Drew Worrad’s hat-trick goal, Bradley Schoonbaert made Pistons history Friday night as he set the new record for points in a season in a 7-3 victory over the Neepawa Natives.
Schoonbaert had 5 points on the night, which gives him 83 points on the season. The previous record holder was Dan Taillefer with 81 points in a season. Drew Worrad also had 5 points (3 goals and two assists), and linemate Austin Heidemann had 4 assists as the entire top line combined for 14 points.
“He’s a huge contributor, it means the world to have a guy like that on the team,” Heidemann said after the game. “He’s a great guy, and what he does on the ice is unbelievable. Congrats to him.”
Matt Radomsky got the win in goal tonight for Steinbach, stopping 13 shots. Brendan Benoit got the start for Neepawa, making 33 saves. Spencer Eschyschyn came in to relieve Benoit and stopped 8 of 9 shots in the latter half of the third period.
Worrad got the party started when he patiently outwaited Benoit in front of the goal, and slipped the puck past his left pad to make it 1-0 from Heidemann at the 10:02 mark. Then Schoonbaert got his first of the night from Worrad and Heidemann to make it 2-0 Pistons with 5:45 remaining. And then 14 seconds later, Schoonbaert returned the favor by setting up Worrad with a nifty pass in front to make it 3-0.
Neepawa came back hard to start the second, and were rewarded with a goal just 1:07 in as Ashton Anderson scored his 25th from Zach Johnson and Jordan Martin. Steinbach looked flat for much of the period, but came alive late in the period putting all kinds of quality scoring chances on Benoit. Schoonbaert got his record-breaker as he parked himself behind the net, and dished a pass out to Worrad out in front. Worrad slammed it into the back of the net for his hat-trick from Schoonbaert and Heidemann with 26 seconds remaining in the second. It was 4-1 for Steinbach after two.
Schoonbaert got his second of the game 59 seconds into the third, when he poked a loose puck past Benoit to make it 5-1. Neepawa got its second of the game on the PP, as Jordan Martin finished off a nice solo effort from Ashton Anderson to make it 5-2. Martin picked up his 14th of the season from Anderson and Josh Blondeau at 4:22. Daniel McKitrick responded with a PP goal of his own at 5:39 of the third. It’s McKitrick’s 21st of the year from Heidemann and Riese Gaber. And Jack Johnson gave the Pistons fans their much beloved pancakes at 7:14, when he slammed home a rebound past Spencer Eschyschyn. Will Koop picked up the lone assist on Johnson’s 10th of the season.
Justin Metcalf completed the scoring for the Natives at the 12:35 mark, as he scored his 25th of the season from Jesse Gibbons.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 1 for 3 on the power play, while the Natives went 1 for 4.
UP NEXT: The Pistons are back in action tomorrow night as they face the Dauphin Kings, with puck drop scheduled for 7:30 pm.