The Steinbach Pistons opened the Manitoba Junior Hockey League season with a 10-4 thumping of the Selkirk Steelers on Friday night.

If there's any indication of how a season may go based on the first shot, the Pistons are in for a good one. 

Quinton Pepper cashed in on the very first shot to make it 1-0 Steinbach less than a minute into the game. Eduard Wruck picked up the primary assist after making a nice move at the blueline to create space before dishing the puck to Pepper. Davis Fry also picked up an assist on the first goal of the year.

Penatly trouble struck the Pistons near the midway point of the period and forced a big 5 on 3 penalty kill.

Seconds after killing that two man disadvantage, Hunter Degelman broke in, made a dandy move around a Steelers defender, then banked the puck off the goalie from behind the goalline and in to make it 2-0. Cooper Rice and newly minted captain Zac Patrick had the assists.

A turnover in the defensive zone gifted the Steelers a goal that cut the lead to 2-1.

Dawson Milliken converted early in the middle period on the power play after his shot deflected in front and into the net for his first goal of the night to restore Steinbach's two goal lead, 3-1. Wruck picked up his second assist while Davin Griffin also hit the score sheet with an assist.

Once again, Selkirk managed to get a step closer when they cut the lead to 3-2 and were inches away from tying the game if not for a big save from Simon Harkness to keep Steinbach in the lead.

Quickly after the Harnkess stop, the Pitsons turned up the ice and Pepper teed up Nate Goodbrandson who uncorked a rocket wrist shot that went blocker side and in to make it a two goal game yet again. Rookie defender David Cote picked up the secondary assist on the final goal of the second period.

4-2 Pistons after 40 minutes.

The third saw the scoring bonanza start early.

With Steinbach on another power play, the Steelers manged to force a turnover and broke in all alone scoring a shorthanded marker to get them to within one for the third time of the game.

They would never get so close again.

On the same power play that gave up the shorty, Wruck put a seeing eye wrister towards the net and it found it's way through for a power play marker to make it 5-3. Jack Rogers picked up the helper as did Griffin.

Griffin capped off a three point night with a beautiful stretch pass to Rogers who broke in, dangled around the defence and the goalie before roofing a backhander to extend the lead to 6-3. Wruck also had an assist that finished off a wonderful offensive game with four points.

Owen Weihs let loose a bullet wrister to make it a 7-3 game. Degelman nabbed the lone assist for his second point of the night.

Milliken struck again shortly after the Weihs goal for his second of the night, as the lead continued to grow to 8-3. Cote nabbed his second point of the night while Langley Kruggel also picked up an assist.

Pepper collected his second of the game on the power play to keep the parade of scoring going, 9-3. Goodbrandson and Kruggel had the assists for their second points of the game.

Cote finished off his impressive three point night showing off his impressive shot as he put a puck perfectly top shelf with a picture perfect shot to keep the scoring parade going with the tenth Pistons goal of the game. Patrick nabbed his second point of the game while Travis Hensrud also had an assist.

The penalty kill, which had been perfect throughout the game including not one but two 5 on 3 kills, finally got dinged late in the third as a puck deflected off a Steeler player in front and in to make it a 10-4 game.

Harkness had the win making 33 saves on the night including several big saves while the game was still within reach for Selkirk.

The power play finished 3-8 while the penalty kill was a solid 5-6.

Steinbach and Selkirk both finished the game with 37 shots each.

The two teams meet up again Saturday night in Steinbach for the Pistons home opener.

Game Notes:

- David Cote set a Pistons record recording 3 points as a rookie defender in his debut game.

- 7 Pistons scored their first goal in the MJHL and as a Steinbach Piston