The Steinbach Pistons collected a pair of wins over the weekend over the Swan Valley Stampeders and the Winkler Flyers to get over the .500 mark for the first time this season.

Saddling Stamps

Saturday night was Matt Radomsky's night as the 19-year-old goalie made several sensational saves and gave his team a chance to eventually come out with a 5-2 win at the TG Smith Centre.

In the opening period, both teams traded chances but the best chance in the first ten minutes of the frame belonged to the Stampeders as they turned a puck over at their blueline and raced in on a two on one. As the pass went across to the open Stampeder, Radomsky got over, reached back and made an unbelievable save, absolutely robbing the forward to keep things 0-0.

Swan did score first just over the midway point of the first but newcomer Aiden Wagner batted a puck out of midair to tie the game up 1-1. Brady Tatro had the assist on the goal. Wagner became the 13th player in franchise history to score his first career MJHL goal as a member of the Steinbach Pistons.

Less than four minutes later, Steinbach got the lead as Easton Bennett camped out along the side of the net and snapped a puck up high for his first of the year to make it 2-1. David Queree and Troy Williams had the assists.

In the second, Tatro's recent hot streak continued as the 20-year-old forward scored in his third straight game with Marcel Berube and Brendan Martin picking up the helpers.

Radomsky again was called upon to make a couple of stellar saves including a couple in tight chances but the Winnipeg native held strong and the Pistons took a 3-1 lead into the second intermission.

The Stampeders climbed a little closer on the power play to make it 3-2 but that was as close as they would get as Steinbach restored their two-goal lead on their own man advantage.

Troy Williams let a cannon go from the point and found the back of the net for the second time of the year with Curtis Ireland picking up one assist while Martin grabbed his second helper of the night.

Martin wasn't done scoring as he went in on a Stampeders defender, did a beautiful outside-inside move, leaving the d-man in the dust before cutting across the top of the crease and roofing a backhander bar-down for the 5th goal of the night and one that had fans and teammates standing to applaud. Declan Graham had the lone assist on the highlight reel goal. 

5-2 was the final as the hometown fans were sent home happy.

Radomsky was named the games first star after making 33 saves on the night, a number that had guys on the Steinbach bench wide-eyed and many on the Swan Valley bench shaking their heads.

The final shots on goal were 35-35 while the Pistons penalty kill was 3-4 and the power play was 1-4.

Start Of A Streak

Steinbach made it two wins in a row after defeating the Winkler Flyers in a penalty-filled game on Sunday night, 5-2.

For a second straight game, the Pistons gave up the first goal of the night, this time less than a minute in.

After Winkler scored on their second shot, they didn't get another one till much, much later in the period.

Being down 1-0, the Pistons started to go to work, putting together good shifts in a row and eventually were rewarded when Tyson McConnell picked up his second of the year as he got the puck below the goal line and busted his way in front, sliding the puck in to tie things up 1-1. Curtis Ireland picked up the only helper.

While the Pistons may have surrendered a goal in the first minute, they made up for it in the final minute when Marcel Berube scored to make it 2-1 Pistons. Veteran forward Boedey Vaeth had the lone assist.

In the second, the Pistons were on the power play when Vaeth again found a teammate for a goal as Ireland came streaking in from the point and had a whole net to shoot at. He didn't miss and the lead grew to 3-1. Troy Williams got his scoring night started with an assist on the goal.

Still, in the middle frame, Tristan Culleton went speeding down the wall and into the offensive zone as McConnell blazed a trail to the net. Culleton fired a picture-perfect pass to the far post and McConnell directed it home for his second of the game and a big 4-1 lead after 40 minutes of play.

In the third, the teams traded power play goals. 

First, the Flyers scored to make it 4-2 but Brady Tatro answered back just over three minutes later on a power play to make it 5-2. Declan Graham and Brendan Westbrook had the assists.

Then, the penalties began to mount.

The Pistons amassed a total of 75 minutes while the Flyers picked up 28 of their own.

Tristan Culleton, Brendan Martin and Declan Graham were all ejected from the game while Tatro, Williams and Westbrook picked up 10 minutes misconduct. 

The penalty kill unit led by McConnell and Matt Radomsky were able to kill off a pair of 5 on 3 opportunities and every other man advantage after the first minute of the third.

After a big dust-up at the midway point that saw most of the penalties in the frame be called, no further altercations happened and the Pistons who were left in the game saluted the crowd as the horn sounded with a 5-2 win.

Radomsky again was rock solid in goal making 25 saves. The power play was 2 for 5 and the penalty kill was outstanding finishing 7-8.

Game Notes

Brady Tatro has scored a goal in each of his last four games and has a team-leading 9 points in 7 games.

Curtis Ireland leads all defenders on the team in points with 8.

The Pistons went into Sunday's game vs the Flyers with 77 penalty minutes so far this season and left with 160.

Up Next

Steinbach wraps up their homestand on Wednesday vs the Portage Terriers before heading up north for games Friday and Saturday vs the OCN Blizzard and then on Sunday vs the Stampeders.

Don't Miss A Moment

The games Friday, Saturday and Sunday will all be broadcasted on MIX 96 and SteinbachOnline.com.

Friday - pre-game show at 6:45 pm - puck drop 7:00 pm

Saturday - pre-game show at 6:45 pm - puck drop 7:00 pm

Sunday - pre-game show at 5:45 pm - puck drop 6:00 pm