Preston Seymour scored the winner at the 11:12 mark of the second period, as the Waywayseecappo Wolverines spoiled the party with a 3-2 win over the Steinbach Pistons at the 2018 Earl’s Meat Market Home Opener.
The 2017-18 Pistons were honoured one more time, as the Turnbull and ANAVET Cup championship banners were unveiled before a capacity crowd at the TG Smith Centre. Former Pistons captain Braden Purtill and defenceman Mark Taraschuk were on hand to watch as the banners were unfurled before the game.
Once the puck dropped, it was all business. There was no scoring in the first, although the Pistons outshot Wayway 15-13 in the first period.
However, it went quickly downhill for Steinbach at the beginning of the second. Riley Vautour scored the first goal for the Wolverines past Matt Radomsky at the 4:40 mark, with Jack Kennedy and Drew Anderson picking up the helpers. Nick Doyle scored a minute and fourty seconds later on a power play point shot, making it 2-0 for Wayway. Vautour netted the lone assist on the goal.
Seymour’s goal resulted in a favorable bounce off of the end boards from a Morgan Poirier point shot, and he deposited the loose change in front and Wayway had a 3-0 lead.
Steinbach started their climb back, and it was Troy Williams who got them going. His hard wrist shot on the power play from Curtis Ireland and Tyson McConnell made it 3-1 with 5:15 to go. Then the captain buried a loose puck on his backhand at the side of the net to make it 3-2 with just over a minute to play in the second frame on the man advantage. Ireland and Williams picked up the apples on McConnell’s first of the season.
But that’s as far as the Pistons would come, as they were stymied in the third by a stingy Wolverine defense.
Isaac Labelle turned in a solid performance for Wayway, making 33 saves on the night. Radomsky did all he could to give the Pistons a chance, but ended up with the loss and 26 saves to show.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Pistons went 2 for 8 on the man advantage, while the Wolverines went 1 for 4.
UP NEXT: The Pistons are in Selkirk tomorrow night to take on the Steelers in their season opening game. Puck drop is at 7:30 pm, you can watch the game with a subscription to HockeyTV, or follow along with our Pistons app.