It was a total team effort on Monday night as the Steinbach Pistons pushed their winning streak to 12 games after defeating the Winkler Flyers 4-3 at the TG Smith Centre.

Prior to the game, it was announced that goalie Will Hambley had committed to Western Michigan University. Hambley leads the MJHL in a number of categories and came up large against the Flyers, especially at key times.

Jack Rogers gave his goalie a lead early in the first period as the 19-year-old continues his recent tear.

While on a power play, the Pistons moved the puck around the Flyers zone. After the Flyers failed to clear, Davis Fry kicked a pass to the half-boards for Dawson Milliken who ripped off a beauty feed across the ice to a wide-open Rogers who snapped off a one-timer for his 25th of the season. 

That lead would grow later in the frame when Rogers forced a turnover in front of the Winkler net, pushed the loose puck to Cooper Rice who showed off some good hands in tight by collecting the puck from his skates and flipping a pass to Nate Goodbrandson who buried his second goal in as many games. For Goodbrandson, he has 13 goals this year.

The Pistons team defence kept the Flyers in check throughout the first period. In fact, the Pistons were up 2-0 before the Flyers had their first shot on net, which came just before the midway point of the period.

Steinbach outshot the Flyers 17-5 in the opening 20 minutes and took a 2-0 lead into the break.

In the second, both teams picked it up and it was a much better period. Steinbach and Winkler went back and forth, playing tight-checking, physical hockey. Both goalies were called on to make some big saves and both were up to the test.

Rogers again would find the back of the net for his second of the game and 26th of the year when he cashed in on a rebound after another good shift by the Goodbrandson, Rice, and Rogers line. Rogers got the goal with his linemates getting the assists. That line combined for 7 points through two periods.

Before that goal was finished being announced, the Flyers would get on the board. A shot from the sideboards went off the blocker of Hambley who tried to punch it out but ended up knocking it in front of the goal and after a brief scramble, the Flyers buried it up and under the bar to cut the lead to 3-1.

In the third, the Pistons picked up a very, very important fourth goal.

Ty Paisley started the play as he fought off a Flyers check and pushed the puck down towards the Winkler goal line. Fry, knowing Milliken was there supporting, let the puck go past him to a waiting Milliken, and as he did that, he slipped his check and went to the front of the net. Milliken, who was a physical force all night long, was given too much space by the Flyers defender and he filtered a pass out to Fry who buried his 14th of the year to make it a 4-1 game.

Much like the second period, the Flyers would battle right back and cut the lead to 4-2 less than two minutes later.

In the final minute of the period, the line of Travis Hensrud, Neo Kiemeney, and Owen Weihs hit the ice to defend the lead. The line battled hard, showing grit and toughness. They willingly got in the lanes to block shots and put their bodies on the line to make plays. It was a gutsy effort by all three players.

The Flyers did manage to sneak in a goal to cut the lead to 4-3 but again, big blocks by Zach Power and Braden Birnie kept the Flyers from getting the equalizer. The horn sounded and for a twelfth consecutive game, the Pistons celebrated a win.

It was a total team effort as Steinbach improved their league-best record to 39-9-2-1 which is 6 points ahead of the Dauphin Kings for top-spot overall in the MJHL. The Kings do have 2 games in hand but Steinbach holds the tie-break in the head-to-head series, 2-1.

The line of Power, Birnie, and Quinton Pepper may not have hit the score sheet but it wasn't for lack of chances. All three players were buzzing all night long. They owned the puck, the play, and the tempo every time they were on the ice.

Rogers, Goodbrandson, and Rice combined for 7 points on the night while Milliken, Fry, and Paisley also chipped in on the scoreboard.

Great penalty killing again by Steinbach, led by Hensrud and Weihs as the Pistons went 4-4 shorthanded, while their linemate Kiemeney was dancing all night long. The power play finished 1-4, giving Steinbach 9 straight games with at least one power-play goal.

Defenders Zac Patrick, Bryce Kilbourne, Langley Kruggel, Jackson Betcher, Josh Nelson, and David Cote were fantastic all game. From making quick, heads-up plays to being physical in the corners, battles in front of their net, and making sure pucks left the zone. All six players paid the price blocking shots, getting sticks into lanes, keeping the Flyers to the outside, and took away time and space. The strong defensive play frustrated the Flyers all game long.

Even players not in the lineup like Ethan Johnson, Nolan Bettens, Eduard Wruck, Davin Griffin, and Hunter Degelman were there to encourage and cheer on the team when they came off the ice between periods.

As one person remarked after the game, "this is an incredibly tight team and they're getting better every game."

Hambley was a rock in goal again making 23 saves in the win. His biggest stop of the night came when the Flyers broke in on a clear cut two on one, put the pass over to a streaking winger but Hambley read it perfectly, made a strong push over, and stopped the dangerous-looking rush in its tracks with a solid pad save.

With the win, Hambley has 26 on the year. His goals-against average is 1.99 which is best in the MJHL along with his save percentage which is a sparkling .929, also good for tops in the MJHL.

Only three regular-season games remain for the Pistons. Coming up on Saturday afternoon, the Pistons head to Winnipeg to take on the Blues. On Sunday, the Pistons return home for an afternoon game vs the Freeze. Puck drop at the TG Smith is at 2:30 pm. The final home game of the regular season is also at home as the Pistons welcome in the Blues Friday, March 18th.