The Steinbach Pistons gave up five straight goals and took 10 minor penalties on their way to a 5-2 loss to the Portage Terriers Saturday night.

In the opening period, there was little foreshadowing of what was to come as Steinbach controlled much of the play. They owned the puck and put together a few solid shifts to open the game.

Then the penalty trouble started.

Less than a minute in, the Pistons were sent to the box. They managed to kill off the penalty.

Just five minutes later, a double minor was assessed to the road team, both of which were subsequently killed off.

After three straight penalty kills, the Pistons were given their own man advantage and they wasted little time getting on the board as Braden Birnie scored his first as a member of the Pistons to make it 1-0. Birnie, who's mom and dad were in attendance, was all smiles as he went by the bench. The power play goal was assisted by Quinton Pepper and Edurard Wruck.

Another penalty to Steinbach, their fourth of the period, eventually would give up the goal that tied the game as a Terriers point shot was tipped in the slot to tie it 1-1.

Later in the period, another point shot would find the back of the net for Portage as it seemingly deflected off a Steinbach player in front and past goalie Will Hambley to give Portage a 2-1 lead.

As the period was winding down, Steinbach was pushing to get things back to even before the opening frame came to a close but yet another penalty would kill that momentum as Steinbach killed off the rest of the period short handed and it ended 2-1 Portage.

To start the second, the Pistons killed off the rest of the penalty from late in the first but then things really went off the rails as Portage would score three straight goals before the midway point of the second period, including two more power play goals to take a 5-1 lead halfway through the game.

Hambley was pulled after surrendering the fifth goal and Simon Harkness came in for the rest of the contest.

The rest of the second period, the teams traded trips to the penalty box and Steinbach couldn't get anything going offensively and stayed in the hole they dug themselves, trailing 5-1 after 40.

Steinbach came out okay in the third, got a few chances early but too many one and done chances allowed Portage to squash any possible momentum.

There was a ray of sunshine just after the middle part of the period when Davin Griffin forced a turnover at the blueline and broke into the zone with Zach Power who was driving the net. Griffin fed a pass over to Power who buried his first as a member of the Pistons to cut the lead to 5-2.

That's as close as Steinbach would get.

A lot of hostility and chatter between both sides as frustration levels hit red but it was the Terriers who got the last laugh, winning 5-2.

Harkness, who played just over 30 minutes on the night, came in and made 10 saves on 10 shots. 

Penalty kill was the name of the game and Steinbach did well considering, finshing 7-10 while their power play was just 1-6.

Steinbach and Portage will meet at the TG Smith Centre on Wednesday night. The game was moved from this past Friday to Wednesday because of the weather. The two teams will battle again Friday in Portage and Saturday in Steinbach, so it should be quite the week for both teams.

Wednesday's game will be broadcast on MIX 96 and SteinbachOnline.com with the pre-game show at 7:15 pm and puck drop at 7:30 pm.