Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
While wearing jerseys that commemorated the La Broquerie Habs 75th anniversary, the Steinbach Pistons defeated the Winnipeg Blues and Winnipeg Freeze to remain atop the MJHL standings.
Liden Goes Legend
Coming off an overtime loss earlier in the week, the Pistons’ struggles to score continued as they could only muster a single marker in regulation, needing some big saves by Beck Liden to help get them to overtime where they ended up winning 2-1.
In the opening minutes, Steinbach carried much of the play. They controlled the puck in the offensive zone, they moved it around, and put many pucks toward the net.
To the Freeze’s credit, they did what they could to slow the game down, get in lanes, and stepped up to block some good-looking opportunities.
As the opening frame went along, it balanced out both in shots and chances. Liden stood tall making 12 saves while Steinbach as a team fired 14 pucks on goal but all were stopped.
In the second, Sam Noad and Wyatt Mattfield broke the goalless game by connecting in the neutral zone after getting a breakout pass from Noah Szabo. Mattfield shuffled a pass to Noad who tore into the Freeze zone and let loose a heavy wrist shot that snuck through the goalie and in for his 3rd of the year.
The goal in the first two minutes looked like it might give Steinbach some momentum but again, the Freeze slowed the game down, blocked shots, and just hung around.
Liden made a couple of key saves in the middle period, most notably a deflected puck from the slot that looked like it might squeeze through the five-hole, but the 18-year-old slammed the door shut and kept the 1-0 Pistons lead into the second intermission.
The third period largely saw the Freeze taking it to Steinbach. They battled hard and used a power play to even the game at 1-1.
Liden was called on a few times in the third as Winnipeg outshot Steinbach 18-11 in the final period, but the Pistons nursed the game to overtime, ensuring they got at least a point.
Leo Chambers gave his club the bonus point as the 20-year-old captain took a puck after Szabo skated around the offensive zone and charged the net, sliding the overtime winner in to put Steinbach on top 2-1.
For Chambers, it was his 10th of the season.
Steinbach was outshot 40-35. Their power play was 0-5 while their penalty kill was 5-6.
Saturday’s Are For Pancakes
While it was a bit of touch and go at times through the first 40 minutes of Saturday’s game against the Winnipeg Blues, Steinbach managed to pot 5 goals in the third period to run away with a 7-1 victory.
In the early stages of the game, the Pistons came out with intensity, determination, and a wanting that had been lacking for the last little bit.
All that effort produced shots but nothing in goals.
Winnipeg managed to open the scoring just past the mid-way point of the first and that 1-0 lead would hold through the entire period despite Steinbach leading in shots 18-11.
In the second, Jamie Fuchs knotted things up as the 19-year-old fought his way to the front of the net and found a loose puck, shoveling it into the open net for his 9th on the year. Noah Szabo picked up one assist as did Sam Noad.
Later in the frame, Szabo would give his team the lead after firing a shot from the point that managed to miss all the bodies in front. His 8th of the year was assisted by Bryaden Berg and Brett Kaiser.
Much like the night before, there was an uneasy feeling in the crowd at HyLife Centre as Winnipeg did a good job hanging around and looking to capitalize on any mistake.
The Pistons would not let them get any closer.
Wyatt Mattfield scored his 4th of the year from Kyle Kudrna and Spencer Penner, giving Steinbach a little breathing room at 3-1.
Grady Hoffman increased the lead further as the rookie scoring leader pumped home his 16th goal from Leo Chambers, 4-1 Steinbach.
A much-needed power-play goal by Brandon Funk broke a lengthy tough stretch for the man advantage as he followed up his own shot and buried the rebound for goal number 14 on the year from Parker Jasper.
Noad would notch his second in as many games and fourth of the campaign to expand the lead to 6-1 from Brett Kaiser and Kudrna.
Hoffman finished off the scoring parade with his second of the night, shorthanded, giving the Steinbach fans more to cheer about as they get free pancakes at Smitty’s in Steinbach with their ticket, as he celebrated his 17th from Szabo and Jasper to finish off a 7-1.
Not going unnoticed was the play of Cole Plowman who made several big saves, most notably a very tough shoulder save in the second period when the game was still up for grabs.
Plowman finished with 34 saves.
Steinbach’s power play went 1-3 while the penalty kill remained tops in the league, finishing 6-6.
Up Next
One more game remains for Steinbach before the Christmas break and it’s against the Winkler Flyers on Wednesday night in Winkler.