The Steinbach Pistons were 1-1 this weekend, with both games going to shootout, coming up just short against the Stampeders and beating the Blizzard.
This past weekend was a top tier goaltending performance by both Dominik Wasik and Cole Plowman as they combined for 57/58 saves over the two games.
Pistons vs Stampeders – March 10, 2023
The Stampeders opened the scoring at the end of the first period. Steinbach tried to clear the puck out but couldn’t with Owen Harris getting the puck at the point and putting a seeing eye shot on net and past Wasik to make it 1-0.
The Pistons would get their fare share of chances in the second period, going to the powerplay three times, but unable to capitalize on any of them.
The Pistons would tie it up under a minute into the third period on the powerplay. Davis Fry got the puck to Langley Kruggel at the point who put the puck through some traffic and past Kobe Grant to make it 1-1.
The Pistons would get another chance on the powerplay, this time to take their first lead of the game, but the hardworking Stampeders penalty kill would lock it down and keep the game tied.
Midway through the third period a fight broke out between Landon Roberts and Owen Harris with Roberts feeding Harris lefts and rights and overall getting the best of him. Roberts would be assessed a 2-minute minor for an aggressor penalty after the fight. Steinbach would manage to kill that penalty off and send the game to OT.
Both teams would go back and forth but could not generate much high danger scoring chances so the game would head to shootout.
Ty Paisley shot first for Steinbach with Grant making the save. Myles Mason shot first for the Stampeders and made a nice move and scored. Ian Amsbaugh shot second for Steinbach, putting it low blocker side and past Grant. Josh Danis shot second for the Stampeders and put it low and past Wasik to give Swan Valley the 2-1 lead in shootout. Travis Hensrud was the final shooter for the Pistons with Kobe Grant making the big save and securing the 2-1 shootout win.
Pistons vs Blizzard – March 11, 2023
If you thought the Stampeders game was a battle of the goalies, this game one upped it. With both goalies being awarded the shutout, Steinbach would beat the OCN Blizzard 1-0 in a shootout.
Each team would take a penalty in the first period, OCN under a minute in the game and Steinbach with under a minute left in the period. Both team’s penalty kills would quash the opposing teams’ attacks, keeping the game scoreless.
Steinbach would go down a man two more times in the second period, but again would lock down the backend, giving OCN nothing to work with or be able to generate any offence.
In the dying seconds of the third period Steinbach almost took the lead as Ian Amsbaugh whistled the puck just over the net, but the game would remain 0-0 and head to OT.
OCN got a breakaway just 30-seconds into OT with Sebastian Hamming closing in on goal, but a great back check by Kirk Mullen disrupted the play and kept the game going.
Steinbach would get a breakaway of their own with just over a minute remaining in OT. Travis Hensrud closed in on Chase Hamm, but Hamm made a nice pad save to keep the game tied.
With 30 seconds remaining Travis Hensrud found Ian Amsbaugh with a cross crease pass with made a nice move and had the puck on the doorstep but Hamm made an amazing desperation save, keeping the puck out of the net.
The Pistons would continue to fire pucks on net in the dying seconds of OT, but Hamm stood tall and sent the game to shootout.
Kirk Mullen shot first for the Pistons, putting the puck high and over the glove of Hamm to make it 1-0 Steinbach. Darik Feasey shot first for the Blizzard with Cole Plowman staying with him the whole time and making the save. Ian Amsbaugh shot second for Steinbach and made a beautiful move with the whole net open for him, but the puck flipped over his stick and got away from him. Kurbatoff shot second for the Blizzard putting it low glove side and past Plowman to make it 1-1 in the shootout. Hensrud shot third for the Pistons, making a quick shot that Hamm got most of, but it managed to get past him and trickle into the net. Ashton Paul was up next in a must score scenario. Paul made a move and out waited Plowman, putting it top shelf to extend shootout. Milliken was up next for Steinbach with him making a nice leg kick forehand to backhand move and scoring putting OCN in another must score scenario. Hlady shot for the Blizzard and mishandled the puck giving the Pistons a 1-0 shootout win over the OCN Blizzard.