Weekend Recap: Winning ways continue for Pistons

The Steinbach Pistons won both their games over the weekend to extend their winning streak to 4. 

Fill The Net Friday

To kick off the weekend, the Pistons piled up three third-period goals on their way to a 6-2 win over the Winnipeg Freeze.

Coming off 6-days between games, it took a little time for Steinbach to get their legs under them but when they did, they controlled play, imposed their physical will, and managed to get on the scoreboard first.

On a delayed penalty, Leo Chambers controlled the puck in the defensive zone while goalie Beck Liden raced off the ice for the extra attacker. As Chambers delayed, Kirk Mullen tore off the bench, took a pass from Chambers then flipped the puck over to Brady Ingebritson who walked in and uncorked a bullet for his 3rd of the season, 1-0 Steinbach.

The Freeze managed to answer back, knotting the game at 1-1 but on a power play later in the period, Chambers potted his 5th of the season from Grady Hoffman and Jack Cook to put the Pistons up 2-1 heading into the first intermission.

In the middle frame, the Pistons carried much of the play and refused to give the Freeze any offensive opportunities. 

Jamie Fuchs was the only one to find the back of the net in the period but moments before he did, he steamrolled a member of the Freeze with a hard, bone-rattling check right in front of his own bench. Fuchs then broke in with Sam Noad and Liam Doyle, fishing off the play with his 4th of the year, putting Steinbach up 3-1 after 40 minutes.

Early in the third, the Freeze got a very lucky bounce from behind the net and cut the lead to 3-2.

Chambers would give his team some breathing room, finishing off a beautiful tic-tac-toe play as Cook fired a pass to Ingebritson who wired a pass right to the stick of Chambers who tapped home his second of the night and 6th of the year, making it a 4-2 game.

The lead would grow as Noah Szabo scored his second goal in as many games from Brett Kaiser and Cook, who capped off his night with his third point.

20-year-old forward Kirk Mullen would get into the scoring act as he buried his 7th of the year from Jackson Kostiuk and Brandon Funk to put the game away 6-2.

Liden finished the night with 14 saves, picking up his 5th win.

Special teams factored into the win with Steinbach going 2-3 on the power play while killing off just the single penalty they took, finishing 1-1.

Sinking Swan Saturday

On Saturday night, goals were hard to come by but the Pistons did just enough offensively to come away with a 2-1 victory over the Swan Valley Stampeders.

It was a goalie duel in the first period as the Stampd netminder and Steinbach's Cole Plowman went save for save, keeping things scoreless after the first.

In the second, Jackson Kostiuk broke the scoreless draw as the winger took a pass from Kirk Mullen and wired home his 3rd of the campaign. Noah Szabo was given the secondary assist on the 1-0 marker.

The Stamps managed to tie it up late in the second off a deflected point shot and the teams went into the break tied 1-1 despite Steinbach outshooting the Stamps 27-23.

In the first few minutes of the third, Dawson McCann drove the net while Parker Jasper wired a shot from the point. McCann deflected it in for his first as a Piston and first career MJHL goal. Liam Doyle also nabbed a helper and Steinbach was up 2-1.

The rest of the third, the Pistons held firm, refusing to let the Stamps generate much of anything or gain any momentum. When they did, Plowman was there with the save.

After a couple of icings and a few defensive zone stands, time ran out and the Pistons were victorious, 2-1.

Plowman finished with an impressive 30 saves, improving his record to 8-1.

Coming off a night where the power play was key, the special teams unit failed to find the scoresheet despite some excellent chances, going 0-6. The penalty kill on the other hand was a perfect 6-6.

Up Next

The team has a few days again between games. Next up are the Selkirk Steelers coming to HyLife Centre on Saturday, November 11th and then they'll head out on the road to Portage to take on the Terriers Sunday at Stride Place.