Hub game recap

The Steinbach Pistons took a one-goal lead into the third period on the road and only allowed 5 shots in the final frame with none of them finding the back of the net as the team came away with a 2-1 win over the Waywayseecappo Wolverines on Thursday night.

Both teams had their hard hats, work boots, and lunch pails ready to go in the first period. There was not a whole lot of room in the neutral zone for either squad but Steinbach did hold a territorial advantage through the first half of the period.

The hard work eventually paid off as Kirk Mullen broke through the neutral zone, he dished a pass to Brett Kaiser who found a cutting Ty Paisley who made a cheeky move around the Wolverines defender and tucked home his 17th of the year putting Steinbach up 1-0.

A power play gave the Pistons a chance to increase the lead but it was Waywayseecappo that came away with the best chance on a short-handed breakaway, but Dominik Wasik turned away one of the top scorers in the MJHL with a really solid stop, keeping his team in the lead.

In the second, the Wolverines were able to tie the game up while on a power play when a point shot hit someone in front and went right to a Waywayseecappo player camped out in the slot and the game was knotted up 1-1.

Something that has become a bit of a theme is the Pistons pushing back after giving up a goal and that's what they did as they managed to build some momentum.

Travis Hesnrud continued his hot play as the 20-year-old from Thunder Bay walked into the Wolverine's zone and wired a shot past the goalie for his 31st marker of the year. Paisley notched the only assist, his second point of the game.

In the third, Steinbach had a couple of glorious chances to put the game away.

First, defender Josh Nelson managed to keep a puck in at the blue line, walk in and let loose a laser shot but it rang off the post and stayed out.

Ian Amsbaugh also had a grade-A chance but his heavy wrister also clanked off the crossbar and stayed out.

Hunter Degelman wasn't robbed by the post but instead by the goaltender as the 19-year-old from Saskatchewan took a beautiful feed from Landon Roberts on a two-on-one, had the goalie stretched out but just couldn't get the puck up and over the pad. 

Degelman quickly shook off that almost goal. Along with his linemates Roberts and Dawson Milliken, wrecked the Wolverine's defense, keeping them hemmed into their zone every time they were on the ice but especially in the third period, not allowing Waywayseecappo any room to operate or a chance to gain traction for a comeback.

Steinbach played a complete team lockdown third period, only allowing 5 shots while putting up 15 of their own.

With time ticking down and the net empty, Steinbach cleared the zone and as the puck was headed towards being icing, Davin Griffin turned on the afterburners, managing to beat the Wolverine defender back and negated the icing. 

The strong play from the 20-year-old forward kept the clock moving and the Wolverines never could quite get things sorted out and eventually, ran out of time signaling another Pistons win.

It's the third game in a row Steinbach has won and 4th consecutive victory by a single goal.

The Pistons pulled a little closer to the top spot in the MJHL as they now sit 4 points behind the Portage Terriers for the number one seed, both teams having played the same number of games. 

Meanwhile, with the loss, the Wolverines slip down into the third spot in the MGEU West Division, one point behind Swan Valley and two points behind OCN. They're just two points up on both Dauphin and Virden who keep chasing after them.

The Pistons welcome the Wolverines to the TG Smith Centre on Saturday night.