Hub International Game Recap

With a pair of wins over the weekend extended the Steinbach Pistons winning streak to 5 games while the Nighthawks had their winning streak snapped.

Slow Roll Saturday

Coming into action on Saturday, the Pistons had a week off between games, one of the longest stretches of the year and it showed at times but once they got things cranked up, they pulled away from Niverville and posted a solid 5-1 win.

In the opening minutes, Steinbach came out strong, winning puck battles, moving quickly through the neutral zone and working pucks toward the net with regularity. 

Nighthawks goalie Keegan Gordon was tested with all kinds of shots but was up to the task making several big saves and most importantly for the visitors, controlling rebounds with pressure all around him.

Steinbach would eventually break through moments after a puck trickled along the goalline, the Nighthawks were unable to clear as Noah Szabo in his first game back since early February, walked in from the blueline, made a goregous move around a Nighthawk checker, walked in and wired a wrist shot home for his 13th of the year. Trey Sauder and Liam Doyle were given the assists on the 1-0 marker.

Before the period was through, Steinbach would strike again. A point shot shot/pass from Spencer Penner found a wide open Connor Paronuzzi in front of the goal. The 18-year-old displayed elite hands and hockey sense as he stopped the puck from getting to the goalie, made a quick move and tucked a backhander into the yawning cage for his 11th of the campaign. Grady Hoffman picked up the secondary assist.

In the second, Niverville started to take over.

The Nighthawks pushed back and peppered Steinbach's Beck Liden with some good chances but the Steinbach rookie held strong.

A few minutes past the midway point of the frame, with Steinbach on a power play, Adam Vigfusson forced a turnover and tried to break away. He was checked but following up was Josh Danis who drove the puck into the zone. Vigfusson refused to quit on the play and joined Danis in crashing the net. Vigfusson fought through everything and stuffed the puck home for his 5th of the year. Danis picked up the lone assist on the shorthanded goal that cut the lead to 2-1 after 40 minutes.

Early in the third, Steinbach's best line through most of the game cashed in. Brett Kaiser took a hit along the boards in his own zone so he could force the puck out to Jackson Kostiuk. Kostiuk brought the disc into the Nighthawks zone and while being checked behind the goalline, fought through it and found Brayden Berg open in the slot. Berg turned and wheeled a shot on goal that found it's way into the back of the net for his 9th.

Leo Chambers extended the league as the MVP nominated centre found the back of the net for his 22nd of the year with assists going to Szabo and Hoffman.

Szabo put the game away with his second of the night and 14th of the year, making it a 5-1 game late in the third with Chambers and Paronuzzi getting the assists.

Liden was sharp stopping 27 of 28 shots for his 14th win of the year. 

Gorden was tagged with the loss but was solid throughout the game finishing with 36 saves on 41 shots.

Steinbach's power play was 0-1 while the Nighthawks went 0-2 on their man advantages.

Ice Road Warriors

On Sunday, the Pistons braved the less than ideal road conditions for a trip to Winnipeg and left with a 3-0 win, marking the first MJHL shutout for 18-year-old sensation Beck Liden.

Early on, the game had the feel of a rout with Steinbach going up 2-0 less than 2:30 into the first.

Kirk Mullen opened the scorign as he broke in on a two-on-one, looked off the pass and fired home his 27th goal. Trey Sauder and David Cote were given the assists.

Shortly after, Jamie Fuch tapped home a great pass from Hunter Degelman for his 18th of the season, putting Steinbach up 2-0 very quickly. Sam Noad picked up the secondary assist.

Things leveled out dramatcially.

Winnipeg had a glorious chance to get on the board but Liden managed to read the play, stretch out and take a hard shot right off the mask, keeping it a 2-0 game.

Steinbach continued to pile up shots through the rest of the first and the second, outshooting Winnipeg 40-17 through 40 minutes but the score stood at 2-0.

Even though the workload may have looked light in comparassion, Liden was called upon to make some very tricky saves. Time after time, he refused to break as he turned the Blues away again and again.

In the third, a bit of relief as Noad tipped home a Cote point shot for his 9th of the year, giving Steinbach a 3-0 lead. Degelman's second assist of the night was the other helper on the final goal of the night.

The horn sounded and Liden was surrounded by teammates who celebrated his 23 save shutout. With the clean sheet, Liden is up to 15 wins on the year with a goals against average of 1.76 and save percentage of .934.

Steinbach's penatly kill was a perfect 3-3 while the power play was 0-3.

Up Next

A massive contest against the Winkler Flyers looms on Wednesday night in Winkler. Steinbach is 8 points up on the Flyers for 1st place in the MJHL but the Flyers have 2 games in hand on Steinbach. The Pistons have the season series to this point, leading 3-2 with the final meeting of the regular season set for midweek.