Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
The Steinbach Pistons and Winkler Flyers had another classic, hard hitting, chippy, hard fought battle on Saturday night and when the dust settled, it was the Flyers coming out on top 3-1, mainly thanks to the special teams.
Things started really well for Steinbach. Unlike the previous night, the team moved pucks quickly, were engaged physically and had their skating legs.
Everything the Pistons did right culminated in the opening goal of the game. Connor Paronuzzi took a breakout pass from his own zone, skated to the defensive blueline then ripped a pass across the ice to a streaking Ty Paisley. As the pass was being made, Brett Kaiser turned on the jets and tore through the middle ice. Paisley floated a pass to Kaiser who chipped it up and over the goalie for his 8th of the year.
Steinbach’s 1-0 lead could have grown but the power play couldn’t find any traction, going 0-2 in the first and a third man advantage to start the second.
More hard luck to start the second as captain Noah Szabo did not come out after the intermission and did not return to the game.
It would turn into a 5 on 3 for Steinbach after another Winkler penalty during the kill. The Flyers managed to kill off the 5-3 and get the game back to 5 on 5.
After 4 straight power plays, it was Steinbach’s turn to cut a path to the penalty box. However, the Pistons player that committed the infraction barely had time to sit down. It took all of 8 seconds for the Flyers to tie the game, 1-1.
Nearing the midway point, Steinbach was called again for a penalty. It appeared to be a simple 5 on 4 call but after a brief discussion between the officials, another call went against the Pistons, putting them down 5 on 3 for a full two minutes.
While working on the power play, the Flyers managed to slip a puck through and grab a 2-1 lead.
Before the end of the period, Cole Cairns dropped the gloves with a Flyers forward. The 18-year-old did quite well in the scrap. The fight put both teams down a forward for the remainder of the contest.
The Pistons did well to keep it 2-1 through the second period but went into the break down by a goal.
Some rough stuff boiled over at the end of the period as several players got into a wrestling match. Things escalated further as the Winkler goalie was coming off the ice, a Pistons played bumped into him, sparking a full on pushing match and stare down contest the officials did well to keep from getting completely out of hand.
Any hostility though was snuffed out between periods as both teams came out for the third all business, no body wanting to take a dumb penalty that would cost their team.
Winkler did take a high sticking minor that gave Steinbach a chance to tie the game, but once again the power play failed to get anything going and the score remained 2-1.
With the net empty, the Pistons pushed for the equalizer and had some good looks but just couldn’t bare down and finish in front of the net.
An empty netter sealed the 3-1 win for the Flyers.
The power play was a big reason for the defeat, going 0-5 while the penalty kill was beat up by the leagues best power play, finishing 1-3.
Christian Green was rock solid in goal once again but was hit with the tough loss after making 26 saves.
Steinbach will have a week between games. The Pistons are set to travel up north for the final time in the regular season, meeting the Swan Valley Stampeders on Friday then the Northern Manitoba Blizzard on Saturday.