After going down by two in the first period, the Steinbach Pistons managed to fight back and defeat the Winnipeg Freeze 7-3 on Wednesday night to extend their winning streak to an impressive 9 games.

It was a slow start for the home side. An early power play did get a couple of chances but couldn't find the back of the net. 

The Freeze then managed to pounce on a pair of seemingly harmless plays to take a 2-0 lead. 

Despite outshooting the Freeze 9-6, the away team held on to take the 2-0 advantage into the second period.

In the middle frame, the Piston's offense finally awoke.

Building on the momentum from some strong puck control to end the first period, Steinbach came out with a much more determined effort, which they were rewarded for.

A point shot from Bryce Kilbourne managed to get through a bunch of traffic in front to cut the lead to 2-1. For Kilbourne, it was his 3rd of the year. Jack Rogers and Cooper Rice started off their strong nights with getting the assists.

Ninety seconds later while on a power play, Ty Paisley set up shop in the slot and deflected a Braden Birnie pass in for the rookie's 14th of the season. The 2-2 goal was also assisted by Zac Patrick, who prior to the game was named the Steinbach Pistons player of the month for February.

Patrick would factor in again on the scoresheet as the captain set up Davis Fry who hammered home his 12th of the year to give Steinbach their first lead of the night, 4-3.

That lead wouldn't make it to the second-period intermission. 

A Freeze power play managed to get the game tied up again with under a minute to go, 3-3.

The Pistons turned up the effort and it showed on the scoreboard and on the shot counter. The home side had 18 shots while allowing just 7.

Exactly one minute into the third, Steinbach grabbed the lead again and didn't look back.

The line of Birnie, Quinton Pepper, and Zach Power were dancing all game long, controlling the puck in the offensive zone for long stretches. After getting the Winnipeg defenders running around their own zone, Birnie was able to find a quiet area, took a pass, and fired a hard shot that stopped but the rebound popped right back to him and he buried his 6th goal of the year. Pepper and Power were given credit for the assists.

Rice would extend the lead after Rogers won a faceoff back to winger Nate Goodbrandson. Goodbrandson fired the puck from the top of the circle and it deflected off Rice's stick and in for the Vermont product's 15th of the season.

5-3 turned to 6-3 for Steinbach in a hurry. Kilbourne took a hard check in his own end but before he was hit, he managed to flip the puck out to the neutral zone. Power picked up and broke in with Birnie on a partial two-on-one. Power shot and Birnie cashed in on the rebound for his second of the game and 7th of the campaign. 

The final goal of the game belonged to Rogers who finished off a tidy three-point night by scoring his 20th goal of the season. Rice also picked up his third point while Nolan Bettens also got a helper.

Birnie came within inches of getting the hat trick but the 20-year-old ripped a wrister that clanked off the post and ended up over the glass and out of play. 

Will Hambley was back between the pipes after missing a couple of games. After a bit of a shaky start, he settled in and finished with 19 saves. Hambley has 23 wins on the season.

Steinbach's power play finished 1-4 while the penalty kill was 4-5.

The Pistons will take on the Selkirk Steelers Friday night at the TG Smith Centre. The puck drop is set for 7:30 pm. Proof of vaccination is no longer required but masks are still mandatory.