The Steinbach Pistons start on the road to repeating as Mantioba Junior Hockey League champions on Friday night as Game 1 is set vs the Winnipeg Blues at the TG Smith Centre.
The season series was deadlocked 3-3.
Here's how the two teams stack up heading into the first round.
Steinbach Pistons - 3rd - 39 wins 17 losses 4 overtime losses - 82 points
Team Stats
Power Play - 6th - 19.6% (49 goals in 250 opportunities)
Penalty Kill - 1st - 87% (39 goals agaisnst in 299 times shorthanded)
Goals For - 197
Goals Against - 127
Differential - +70
Penalty Minutes - 1130
Top Scorers
F - Brendan Martin: 31g 27ast - 58 pts
F - Tyson McConnell: 20g 27ast - 47 pts
F - Boedey Vaeth: 18g 26ast - 44 pts
Goalie Stats
Matt Radomsky - 27-12-1
GAA: 2.06 - SV% .929 - 6 shutouts
Matt Lenz - 12-5-3
GAA: 2.10 - SV% .930 - 3 shutouts
Winnipeg Blues - 6th - 31 wins 22 losses 5 overtime losses - 69 points
Team Stats
Power Play - 5th - 20.2% (53 goals in 262 opportunities)
Penalty Kill - 2nd - 86.1% (34 goals against in 244 times short handed)
Goals For - 195
Goals Against - 182
Differential - +13
Penalty Minutes - 862
Top Scorers
F - Tony Apetagon: 29g 45ast - 74pts (combined with his time in OCN)
F - Braeden Binda: 20g 22ast - 42pts
F - James Maxwell: 18g 23ast - 41pts (combined with his time in OCN)
Goalie Stats
Jeremy Link - 26-16-2
GAA: 2.48 - SV% .931 - 4 shutouts
Jack Brandy - 5-6
GAA: 3.29 - SV% .892 - 0 shutouts
Steinbach vs Winnipeg Regular Season
October 2nd - Blues win 2-1.
Link makes 44 saves on the night including 19 in the second period.
Bodey Behun scores twice for the Blues, once on the power play. Steinbach's lone goal came from Brady Tatro.
December 7th - Pistons win 9-3
Easton Bennett, Tanner Mole and Brendan Martin all have two goal games.
Pistons score 4 goals inside the opening 10 minutes, chasing Link.
December 18th - Pistons win 1-0
Matt Lenz is perfect finishing with 27 saves in the shutout. Link makes 27 saves surrendering the lone goal with just over 5 minutes to go in the game.
Brendan Martin has the lone goal.
December 21st - Blues win 4-2
Coby Stauss scores twice while Kelton Sutherland and Jayson Szun each have two assists. Link makes 48 saves.
Teams combined for 30 penalty's ranging from 2 minute minors to 10 minute misconducts.
January 12th - Blues win 3-1
Newcomers Darren Gisti and Tony Apetagon make impacts with their new teams scoring in their first games with the Blues.
Kyle Bettens struck for Steinbach.
January 26th - Pistons win 6-3
Kyle Bettens and Tyson McConnell both score twice while Troy Williams adds 3 assists.
Braden Binda has a two point night for Winnipeg.
Playoff Series Schedule
03/08 - Game 1 - Blues @ Pistons - 7:30 pm TG Smith Centre, Steinbach
03/10 - Game 2- Pistons @ Blues - 6:00 pm Bell MTS Iceplex, Winnipeg
03/12 - Game 3 - Blues @ Pistons - 7:30 pm TG Smith Centre, Steinbach
03/14 - Game 4 - Pistons @ Blues - 7:00 pm Bell MTS Iceplex, Winnipeg
03/16 - Game 5 - if nessicary - Blues @ Pistons - 7:30 pm TG Smith Centre, Steinbach
03/18 - Game 6 - if nessicary - Pistons @ Blues - 7:00 pm Bell MTS Iceplex, Winnipeg
03/20 - Game 7 - if nessicary - Blues @ Pistons - 7:30 pm TG Smith Centre, Steinbach