Content Provided By: Steinbach Online
The Steinbach Pistons kicked off the new year with back-to-back wins, defeating the Portage Terriers on Friday then upending the Winnipeg Blues on Saturday to improve their record to 26-4-3.
Special Teams Very Special
On Friday night, the Pistons potted three power-play goals while going a perfect 4-4 on the penalty kill, using the special teams to defeat the Portage Terriers 4-1.
Coming off the holiday break, the Pistons welcomed back several players who missed various amounts of time before the Christmas break. David Cote, Brayden Berg, and Jackson Kostiuk all returned to the lineup, giving the Pistons more depth than they’ve had in quite some time.
In the first period, Steinbach came out flying. The team’s speed and tenacity helped earn them an early power play. After Kirk Mullen won a face-off back to Cote, the 20-year-old defender wandered towards the net, picked his spot, and fired a puck toward the goal that hit off Brandon Funk and in to make it 1-0.
For Funk, it was his 15th of the year and 8th power-play goal.
Throughout the rest of the period, the Pistons pushed the pace, put a ton of pressure on the Terrier defenders, forced turnovers, and racked up a bunch of shots with the help of a couple more power play chances.
The score after 20 minutes was 1-0 Steinbach with the Pistons leading in shots 18-5.
In the second, the Terriers managed to kill off a penalty they took late in the first and then tied the game less than a minute into the middle frame, giving them some momentum early.
Jamie Fuchs ripped that momentum right back for the home side as the 19-year-old barreled into the offensive zone, used a Terrier defender as a screen, and ripped a wrister home for his 10th of the campaign. Kyle Kudrna and Noah Szabo were given the assists on the 2-1 goal.
Portage cut a path to the penalty box and it allowed Steinbach to widen the gap on the scoreboard.
Seconds after a 5 on 3 ended, Cote wired a puck from the point that deflected off a skate and in for his 4th of the year and second point of the night. Grady Hoffman and Parker Jasper were given the assists.
Just over two minutes later on another power play, Hoffman deflected a Szabo point shot past the goaltender for his teamleading 19th. Leo Chambers extended his point streak with an assist on the 4-1 goal.
In the later stages of the second, Portage looked like they were going to cut into the lead but two sensational saves from Cole Plowman. His biggest came after a breakdown in front left a Terrier all alone but after he made his move, Plowman kicked out his left pad and kept it 4-1 Pistons.
The penalty kill was the star of the third period as Steinbach killed off a double minor and then a two-minute minor later in the frame, keeping things right where they were after forty minutes.
The clock ran out and Plowman was mobbed by teammates celebrating his 17th win of the year after making 31 saves on the night.
Steinbach’s power play was a major difference going 3-6 while the penalty kill was perfect, finishing 4-4.
Scoring Party Saturday
Coming off the win Friday against Portage, it took the Pistons a bit of time to find their rhythm against the Winnipeg Blues but when they did, they managed to pump in six goals and come out with a 6-1 win.
In the first period, Steinbach’s Spencer Penner kept a clearing attempt in at the line, walked in, and rifled a shot that hit off a body in front and in for his first goal of the season.
The unassisted marker was the first Penner goal since last season, scored on February 4th. Brett Kaiser who was in front helping provide a screen, was quick to point to Penner, letting him know it was his goal. His teammates were all smiles as Penner led the fly-by at the bench.
Steinbach took a 1-0 lead into the break, outshooting Winnipeg 12-2 in the opening 20 minutes.
In the second, Steinbach’s Beck Liden was tested quite a bit more than he was in the first.
The 18-year-old was called on to make a couple of tough saves on hard, high shots that he managed to get a shoulder on.
After a Blues push, Steinbach responded off a faceoff where a point shot from Dawson McCann was tipped in front by Wyatt Mattfield and while the goalie made that save, he couldn’t stop Jamie Fuchs from cashing in on the rebound to make it 2-0.
The second-period marker gave Fuchs goals in back-to-back games and 3 in his last four contests.
Winnipeg looked to cut into the lead but Liden turned away a breakaway, keeping things at 2-0 through 40 minutes.
Liden was again spectacular at times in the third, battling, making big saves, and again, turning away a Blues breakaway.
The goalie’s hard work was celebrated by the offense getting going in a big way.
Leo Chambers showed off some impressive hands and skill after deflecting a puck just wide from the side of the net, the 20-year-old captain managed to handle the rebound off the end glass, maneuver his hands in such a way to corral the bouncing puck, and tuck home his 11th of the year from David Cote and Mattfield.
After scoring in the game before the Christmas break, Kirk Mullen got back into the goal column as he took a nice feed from Cote and uncorked a perfect wrist shot under the crossbar and in on the power play for his 15th goal. Parker Jasper also picked up a helper on the 4-0 goal.
Winnipeg managed to bury one past Liden but Mullen responded with a pair of goals less than thirty seconds apart to complete the hat trick.
Connor Paronuzzi had assists on both Mullen’s 16th and 17th goals of the year, while Brett Kaiser also had a helper on one of the markers.
The final buzzer sounded and Steinbach skated away with a 6-1 win.
On the night, the Pistons finished 1-4 on the power play and were again perfect short-handed, going 4-4.
Beck Liden made 17 saves on the night for his 9th win overall and 8th consecutive victory. Liden has allowed more than one goal just one time in his last 7 starts.
Up Next
The Pistons will have a week of practice heading into Friday night’s contest against the Swan Valley Stampeders. Puck drop at the HyLife Centre in La Broquerie is at 7:00 pm. Then after a day off on Saturday, they’ll travel down the road to Niverville and faceoff against the Nighthawks at 3:00 pm on Sunday afternoon.