The Steinbach Pistons fell to the Portage Terriers by a score of 3-2 Friday evening, albeit with a shortened lineup. The Pistons followed the Terrier game with a commanding 7-2 win over the Freeze to finish off the regular season. On the Saturday night game was fan appreciation night and a night to honour the graduating 20 year old skaters from this season. The Pistons 20 year old skaters are: Dominik Wasik, Travis Hensrud, Langley Kruggel, Josh Nelson, Landon Roberts, Davin Griffin, Ian Amsbaugh and Dawson Milliken.
March 17, 2023 vs Portage Terriers
The Terriers opened the scoring at the 5:14 mark of the first period. Matt McLeod put the puck on net from the point with it bouncing off Warren Clark and then hitting Noah Wagner and going in to make it 1-0.
Portage would extend their lead to 2-0 just under 3-minutes later. Kaden Kohle got the puck off the side boards and found Brandon McCartney in the high slot who then skated in a bit a put it glove side past Cole Plowman and into the back of the net.
Steinbach had a couple powerplay opportunities in the first period, but the league’s best Terriers penalty kill shut down all opportunities for the Pistons.
Steinbach would get on the board at the 7:32 mark of the second period. Kirk Mullen wrapped the puck around the net with the first shot getting saved, but the second effort flipped the puck over Catellier’s pad and into the net to make it 2-1.
Four minutes later the Terriers would restore the 2-goal lead and make it 3-1. A beautiful passing play between Ryan Botterill and Austin Peters set up Mike Stubbs in the slot who made no mistake putting the puck past Plowman.
With under 5-minutes remaining in the second period Steinbach would cut the lead in half making it 3-2. Hunter Degelman got the puck to Travis Hensrud from behind the net who one timed it top corner over the shoulder of Catellier with a quick release.
Steinbach would try to claw back in the third period to find the equalizing goal. Steinbach went to the penalty kill a couple times in the final frame, killed off both but were unable to find twine to tie the game up and ended up losing to the Terriers 3-2.
March 18, 2023 vs Winnipeg Freeze
Steinbach would open the scoring just under 5-minutes into the first period. Ian Amsbaugh got the puck behind the net, made a move to get out front but had to make a few twists and turns and with great patience found an opening and put it top corner to make it 1-0.
Just over halfway through the opening frame Steinbach would make it 2-0. Dawson Milliken found Ty Paisley with a cross crease pass who got stoned by Keegan Gordon on the doorstep but Kirk Mullen found the loose puck and banked it off a Freeze defender and into the back of the net.
Winnipeg would make it 2-1 with a shorthanded goal late in the first period. A misplay at the offensive blueline resulted in the Freeze getting a two on one with Wasik making a great original save on Nathan Lenoski but Elliot Perreault snuck the puck just over the goal line on the second effort.
At the 5:25 mark of the second period Steinbach would get the two-goal lead back. Langley Kruggel whacked a puck towards the net from the point with it having some weird bounces and finding its way over Gordon and into the net to make it 3-1.
With just under 3-minutes remaining in the second period Steinbach would make it 4-1. Landon Roberts won the faceoff back to Clark who then cycled the puck to Ethan Johnson at the other point with him floating a puck on net and past a screened Gordon to give him his first goal of the season.
With 25-seconds remaining in the second period the Pistons would extend their lead to 4-goals. Neo Kiemeney got the puck to Travis Hensrud who skated to the right faceoff dot and shooting the puck with it getting blocked, but he found the loose puck and put the second shot past Gordon.
The Freeze would make it 5-2 at the 4:21 mark of the third period. Elliot Perreault from behind the net got the puck out front to Hayden Chaloner who put it through the five hole of Dominik Wasik.
With just over 6-minutes remaining in the game Steinbach would pot one on the powerplay. From the right faceoff dot Hensrud found Amsbaugh at the left faceoff dot who then whipped the puck past Gordon to make it 6-2.
The Pistons found the back of the net one more time to make it 7-2, capping of the final regular season game with pancakes. Nick Mikan tried to drop the puck off for Leo Chambers, but it didn’t get to him with Mikan getting the loose puck in the slot and putting it past Gordon.
Steinbach would close out the final two minutes and secure the 7-2 victory over the Freeze.