At a point in the first period, the game was tied 1-1, but the Steinbach Pistons would grab a lead before the opening frame was complete, and never looked back, eventually winning a lopsided contest in dominating fashion, 7-1 over the Selkirk Steelers on Friday night.
First period
The old phrases “good to be lucky, lucky to be good” and “right place, right time” both applied to Marek Miller opening the scoring for Steinbach, three minutes into the game.
After a failed two-on-one rush, the Steelers managed to clear the puck out of the zone, where Rory Gilmour knocked it down, walked toward the blueline and fired the puck in. Gilmour’s dump-in ended up glancing off a stanchion behind the goal, and as the Steelers’ netminder was out of his net trying to make a play, however, the puck avoided him and went out in front for Miller to put into the open cage.
Miller’s third goal of the year put Steinbach up 1-0.
Throughout much of the first, the Pistons controlled the puck and controlled the pace of play. Steinbach earned several chances while limiting Selkirk to only a few fleeting chances, but never any sustained zone time.
The home side did manage to tie the game, only moments after Steinbach came within a whisker of extending the lead, but instead, it was Selkirk that tied the game 1-1, finishing off a slick passing play with a nice goal to even the contest.
Another lucky break earned through hard work would put the Pistons back on top before the period was through.
Liam Doyle rushed the puck into the offensive zone, working his way behind the net, and eventually finding Gilmour at the point. The 19-year-old fired a puck toward the goal, a shot that deflected off a Steeler in front, and found the back of the net.
For Gilmour, it was his fourth of the year, with Doyle and Jack Greenwell getting the assists.
The 2-1 score would hold the rest of the period, and the teams went into the break with one goal being the difference.
Second period
In the middle frame, the Pistons’ offense went to work.
Shift after shift, Steinbach worked to force turnovers and bully their opponent down low, wearing down the defenders and out-hustling Selkirk all over the ice.
Just over two minutes into the period, Grady Hoffman drove to the front of the net, and after Evan Gradt took a pass from Logan Mehl, tried to stuff it home. Gradt was stopped, Hoffman was not, and the 20-year-old celebrated his fourth goal of the year, pushing Steinbach ahead 3-1. Gradt and Mehl were given the assists.
Jack Greenwell would make it a 4-1 game, as he took a pass from behind the net from William Picklyk, cashing in for his 12th of the season. Zhenya Miles, who started the play by skating the puck out of his own zone, then laying out near the Steelers’ blueline, knocking it behind the net, also picked up an assist.
Less than two minutes later, Gilmour hit a streaking Sam Noad with a beautiful pass, and the Captain drove his way into the zone, as he did, he skipped a pass over to a streaking Gradt, who knocked the puck up and over the glove of Selkirk’s goalie, making it a 5-1 game.
Not done yet, Greenwell would find the back of the net again, giving up 13 on the season, as the 20-year-old cashed in on a power play from Noad, who picked up another helper, as did Doyle, whose shot from the point started it all, bringing the score to 6-1.
Easton Thvedt in the Pistons’ goal wasn’t overly busy in the period, but he was strong when called on, making more than the five saves he was credited with.
Third period
After potting six in the first forty minutes, Selkirk made a goalie change.
Hoffman capped off the scoring for Steinbach, as the sniper notched his second of the game and 5th of the season, taking a nice feed from Mehl, and blasting the 7-1 marker home.
Thvedt was a little busier throughout the final frame, his best saves coming when the Steelers crashed toward the net, but he turned the original shot away, and while looking off the side, made another save on a rebound, thanks in large part to good positioning.
Time ticked away, and the entertainment value remained low, which was just fine for Steinbach, who would walk out of the building 7-1 victors, their second win in a row.
Game notes
Thvedt improves to 4-0 on the season, finishing the night with 24 recorded saves.
Steinbach’s power play was 1-3, and the penalty kill was a perfect 3-3.
Shots were in the Pistons’ favour 56-25.
Up next
Steinbach returns home to host the Virden Oil Capitals on Saturday night, which is country night at the Southeast Event Centre. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m.
