It was the last five minutes of the second period and the opening minute of the third that made the difference for the Swan Valley Stampeders, as they scored three goals in that span for a 4-2 win over the Steinbach Pistons Sunday night.
Starter Merek Pipes was excellent again for Swan, as he made 26 saves in the win. Matt Radomsky started for the second consecutive game, and took the loss in goal stopping 30 of 34 shots.
Coming off of a close tight-checking contest yesterday night, it was pretty much the same style of play throughout the game tonight. Swan got on the board first 5:18 into the opening period, as Troy Quinn wristed a shot from the point on the power play and beat Radomsky for a 1-0 lead. Tanner McKechnie and Dane Hirst picked up the assists on Quinn’s first of the season.
The Pistons would tie it up with 46 seconds left in the first period, as a fast-moving Brendan Westbrook flew down the left wing and found Kyle Bettens in front and he chipped it in for his 2ndof the season. Westbrook and Tyson McConnell would pick up the apples.
A late penalty in the first by Swan meant Steinbach would begin the second period on a power play. And they capitalized as Boedey Vaeth beat Pipes on a rebound in front just 21 seconds into the middle frame. Brendan Martin and Troy Williams had the assists on Vaeth’s 11thof the campaign.
The Pistons were all over the Stampeders in the second period but the momentum turned the way of the team in black and white, as the Pistons took two penalties late in the period. They would kill off the first, but not the second as McKechnie pounced on a rebound to bury his 6thof the season and levelled the game at 2. Jakob Besnilian and Troy Quinn had the helpers.
Then after Tyson McConnell missed on a breakaway, the Stampeders went back the other way and took the lead as Matt Osadick’s hard wrister beat Radomsky to give Swan a 3-2 lead. Josh Tripp and Dane Hirst had the helpers on Osadick’s 13thof the season.
The Stamps doubled their lead to 4-2 1:09 into the third, as Jaden Townsend potted home his 9thgoal of the season. Brian Harris and Campbell Balk had the apples on the play.
There wasn’t much chances the rest of the way, as Swan locked down the Pistons the remainder of the game. But the crowd was brought to its feet as Easton Bennett and Tanner McKechnie got into a tussle that saw the Pistons forward win decisively.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 2 for 5 on the power play, and the Stampeders went 2 for 6 with the man advantage.
UP NEXT: Steinbach will play one game over the next eight days, as they will head back to Virden to face the Oil Caps at Tundra Oil and Gas Place on Friday night.