On a snowy, windy Saturday night, the Steinbach Pistons continued their recent heater and thawed out the Winnipeg Freeze scoring 5 unanswered goals on route to a 6-1 win.

Early on in the contest, both teams spun their wheels trying to find a little traction. Steinbach carried much of the play. They dumped pucks in, bodied up the Freeze defenders and forced some turnovers. 

A power play looked to provide a bit of a spark but nothing would come of the opportunity.

With over five minutes to go in the period, Nolan Bettens scored his first career MJHL goal by firing a point shot through traffic, giving Steinbach a 1-0 lead. Hunter Degelman and Cooper Rice were given credit for the assists.

Degelman made sure to grab the puck for Bettens.

In the second, the Freeze managed to put together a good shift and after catching the Pistons on a couple icings, scored to tie the game 1-1.

After giving up the goal, Steinbach searched for offence but couldn't really get anything going. There were flashes of chances but the Pistons just couldn't find that little extra to get the puck over the line.

That changed when off a face-off win by Zach Power sent the puck back to Bettens who fired a shot towards the net. Big Quinton Pepper pushed his way in front and managed to tip the Bettens shot in for his 24th goal of the season.

In the final minute of the period, the Pistons held the line as the Freeze tried to clear. Langley Kruggel directed a puck towards the net that was originally stopped but Power was on the doorstep to poke in his 7th of the season as the lead expanded to 3-1. Josh Nelson also picked up an assist on the goal.

Steinbach came out strong in the opening minutes of the third period and really piled it on with three goals in less than six minutes.

A power play goal for Zac Patrick continued his strong goal-scoring of late as the captain cut through the slot and fired a beautiful wrister home for his 7th of the season. Braden Birnie picked up the lone assist.

Two minutes later, off a scramble in front of the Freeze net, it was Degelman that was the last to touch the puck before it found it's way over the line. Degelman's 5th of the year was his second point of the night and was assisted by Cooper Rice and Patrick.

Ty Paisley finished off the night scoring wise after a Jackson Betcher point shot was tipped in the slot by Travis Hensrud. The deflection froze everyone in the slot except for Paisley who found the puck and rifled it home for his 12th.

The scoring parade pushed Steinbach ahead 6-1.

Winnipeg did have some chances to get back in the game with a 5 on 3 power play but the Pistons strong defensive unit and some solid, timely saves by Will Hambley kept the Freeze from getting any momentum, let alone anything on the scoreboard.

A couple more penalty kills as the third period went on but overall a pretty uneventful back half of the final frame and Steinbach left with a 6-1 win.

Hambley finished with 29 saves and now has 21 wins on the season.

Patrick's power play goal was the only one scored on the man advantage in four chances while the penalty kill was a perfect 6-6.

Steinbach will enjoy the day off on Sunday before an afternoon date with the Selkirk Steelers on Monday at the TG Smith Centre. The game will have full capacity. It will require proof of vaccination at the gate before entering. 

A family skate with the Pistons will take place after the game. Fans are encouraged to bring their skates and helmets. 

The game is also set to be broadcast on MIX 96 and SteinbachOnline.com with the pre-game show at 2:15 pm and puck drop at 2:30 pm.