Hub game recap

Over 1000 fans packed the TG Smith Centre to watch the final contest of the year 2022 in which the Steinbach Pistons defeated the Winkler Flyers 4-2.

Coming off the holiday break, both teams used the early part of the first period to try and find a rhythm. 

Pistons defender Noah Szabo had a chance to get the home side on the board first but his seeing-eye point shot clanked off the post after making its way through the traffic in front. 

The Flyer's best chance of the period actually came off the stick of a Piston's defenseman. 

While regrouping in the defensive zone, a Pistons defender standing in the left circle halfway between the net and the blueline wanted to reverse the puck back behind the goal. In a hold-your-breath moment, his pass instead went right to the Piston's goal.

While he wasn't expecting it, Dominik Wasik was able to get a toe on it and keep it out.

After a few seconds of comprehending what just happened, several players both on the bench and not dressed for the game, couldn't help but laugh.

Both teams picked up the pace as the period went on. Shots finished 9-6 Flyers but the score was 0-0 heading into the first intermission.

Less than a minute into the second period, the Flyers broke the deadlock off a beautiful pass for a backdoor tap-in, 1-0 visitors.

Ian Amsbaugh responded for the home team as the 20-year-old once again showed off his elite hands corraling a puck on the side, outwaiting the outstretched Flyers goalie cramming home his 9th of the year. Nick Mikan and Huge Larkin had the assists.

A late Flyers penalty gave Steinbach an opportunity to grab their first lead of the game and they didn't waste it.

Great puck movement around the zone made it so Ty Paisley could sneak into a quiet area, take a wonderful pass from Amsbaugh and bury a wicked wrister top shelf. Paisley's 12th of the year was also assisted by Travis Hensrud.

A big part of that goal was the screen provided by Kirk Mullen. Mullen returned after an upper-body injury kept him out of the lineup since November 11th. He didn't get a point on the goal but he did get a lot of pats on the back when he returned to the bench.

The period came to a close with Steinbach up 2-1.

Both teams went back and forth in the early parts of the third period until Amsbaugh gave Steinbach some breathing room as he wired a perfect shot over the shoulder of the Flyers goalie for his 10th of the year and third point of the night. Leo Chambers and Mkian were given credit for the assists.

Now down by two, Winkler pushed trying to get some momentum, and looked as though they earned a power play. Steinbach's Paisley, knowing his team was about to go down a man, went and started a conversation with a Flyers player, trying to get him to take a penalty and it worked. The Flyers negated their man-advantage opportunity by taking a minor penalty of their own. So instead of being down a man, play went to 4 on 4.

Nothing happened with the extra ice and it remained a 3-1 game.

Late in the third, the Flyers pulled their goalie and managed to tuck one past Wasik to cut the lead to 3-2 with 35 seconds left in the game.

With time ticking down, the Pistons locked down the blueline and refused to let the Flyers enter the zone. Steinbach battled, freed up the puck and Hensrud sealed the game with an empty netter, his 22nd of the year. Spencer Penner notched the lone assist.

Wasik finished the night with 26 saves, improving his record to 12-4.

Steinbach's power play finished 1-3 while the penalty kill was a perfect 3-3.

With the win, the Piston's record moves to 25-6. They are the first team in the MJHL to hit 50 points. Steinbach is four points up on Portage having played one more game. They are also four points up on Winkler but the Flyers have played two more games.

The same two teams will meet again on Tuesday at the TG Smith Centre to kick off 2023. The puck drop is set for 7:30 pm.