Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
The Steinbach Pistons have locked up the top spot in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League after defeating the Waywayseecappo Wolverines in a home-and-home set.
Fill The Net Friday
On Friday, the Pistons matched their highest offensive output of the season scoring 9 times en route to a 9-2 drubbing of the Wolverines at HyLife Centre.
Sam Noad kicked off his solid night by opening the scoring just over 7 minutes into the first after Hunter Degelman and Trey Sauder came close just moments before with a puck skittering along the goalline. The Wolverines cleared it out of harm’s way but Noad was right there to knock it home, 1-0 Steinbach.
Kirk Mullen would score just over a minute and a half later as the 20-year-old sniper took a pass from Jamie Fuchs and wired home his 28th of the year. David Cote also picked up an assist as it was thanks to him the puck stayed in the zone, eventually resulting in the goal.
A terrible giveaway by Waywayseecappo gave Jackson Kostiuk his 8th of the year and second in as many games as he was allowed to walk right in through the slot and bury the 3-0 goal.
While the offense got much of the glory, Beck Liden held up his end in the crease making 9 saves including a couple of tough ones.
In the second, after the Wolverines cut the lead to 3-1, Degelman restored the three-goal lead as the 20-year-old fished a puck out from in front of the goal, hesitated, and then sniped his 6th. Connor Paronuzzi, the one who helped the play develop with an excellent rush into the zone and Sauder picked up the assists.
With just over a minute to go in the second, Brandon Funk set up Liam Doyle perfectly for the rookie defender to strike for his 6th goal of the year. Mullen notched his second point with the secondary assist.
More goals followed in the third.
First, Noad picked up his second of the game and 11th of the year from Brett Kaiser and Kostiuk.
Fuchs notched his 19th of the year just over two minutes later from Funk and Parker Jasper.
Just 11 seconds after that and after the Wolverines switched goalies, Brayden Berg broke in all alone and scored his 10th from Kostiuk and Jasper.
Steinbach took a break from scoring for a while before Grady Hoffman tapped home his 28th of the year on a power play to make it a 9-1 game. Jack Cook and Leo Chambers notched assists on Steinbach’s final goal of the game.
Waywayseecappo would score on a power play with under a minute to go but it was way too little too late and the score held 9-2 to the finish.
Steinbach was 1-2 on the power play while going 1-2 short-handed.
Liden collected the victory with a very impressive 31-save performance.
Seal The Deal Sunday
After a day off on Saturday, the Pistons and Wolverines locked up again, this time in Waywayseecappo, where Steinbach edged out a 2-1 victory.
In the opening period, both teams went back and forth but neither was able to grab much in the way of momentum.
Cole Plowman got the start for Steinbach and he managed to stop all 10 shots that came his way.
In the second, Waywayseecappo got on the board thanks to a power play and held a 1-0 lead.
That lead lasted all of 49 seconds.
Parker Jasper picked up a puck in the defensive zone and fired a perfect stretch pass over to Jamie Fuchs. Fuchs cut toward the Wolverine’s net and while his chance was stopped, Kirk Mullen was there to bury the rebound for his 29th of the season, knotting the game up 1-1.
That score would hold until the third when Steinbach used a power play to grab the lead.
Connor Paronuzzi fought his way free on the side of the goal and chipped in a loose puck for his 12th of the campaign. Grady Hoffman and Leo Chambers picked up the assists.
Plowman and the Pistons held strong the rest of the way and brought home a 2-1 win.
With the victory, the Pistons clinched the top spot in the MJHL and the MGEU East Division, meaning they’ll have home-ice advantage throughout their playoff run.
Plowman finished with a strong 29 saves, notching his 29th win of the year.
Steinbach was 1-1 on the power play and 2-3 on the penalty kill.
Up Next
The Pistons are off until Friday when they will welcome in the Neepawa Titans for their final home game of the regular season. The last game prior to playoffs is on Saturday when they travel to Winnipeg to battle the Freeze.