Jack Kilroy scored with 9:36 remaining in double overtime as the Steinbach Pistons defeated the Winnipeg Blues 4-3, eliminating the Blues 4-2 in round one of the MJHL playoffs.

Battling Blue And White

The Pistons hoped to get off to a better start in game six and came out strong in all three zones. 

Winnipeg was finally able to crack the Pistons and opened up the scoring just past the midway point to grab a 1-0 lead.

As the period slowly wound down, Steinbach forward Boedey Vaeth forced a Blues turnover around their goal and put a pass out to Tyson McConnell who buried to tie the game 1-1 with only 14 second remaining in the period.

For McConnell, it was his third goal of the playoffs and the period came to an end 1-1 with each team putting 8 shots on goal.

Bettens Goes Beast Mode

The Blues jumped back out in front 2-1 in the first half of the second period.

After scoring the go-ahead goal, a scary moment as Pistons forward David Queree was driving around a Blues defender when he lost his footing and the Blues player fell on top of him and both players went into the boards. Queree got the worst of it and was down for several minutes before making his way to the locker room under his own power.

Queree did not return and the Blues player was assessed a minor penalty for cross-checking.

The Pistons couldn't capitalize on the man advantage but did tip momentum back in their favor which they used later in the period.

A great outlet pass from Easton Bennett hit Brendan Westbrook near the red line and he chipped the puck to Kyle Bettens who broke into the zone with speed. Bettens protected the puck and drove to the net and as he cut left to right, he faked out the Blues goalie and poked the puck right between his legs for a one-handed beauty goal that tied the game 2-2.

It looked as if Steinbach grabbed the lead when Carter Loney took the puck wide and then drove the net, chipping the puck up and over the goalie but not only was the goal waved off but Loney was given a minor penalty for goaltender interference. 

Matt Radomsky held strong making some big saves including fighting to see several shots from the point. The defence held strong and the second period ended tied up 2-2.

Dirty Goals Count Too

The Pistons were able to get the lead for the first time in the game when Brendan Martin drove the net and fought to dig the puck past the goal line. While he's being cross-checked down, Martin was able to get one more whack and the referee who was positioned behind signaled a goal.

Martin earned the goal that made it 3-2 while Troy Williams made the pass that started the play and the Pistons led just over two minutes into the period.

Man Down... Again

Two minutes after the Pistons went out in front with the Martin goal, another Pistons forward went down because of a hit.

A Blues forward crushed Vaeth from behind. The dirty hit left Vaeth on the ice for several minutes and garnered a 5 minute major to the Blues who also lost the player for the game.

Steinbach was not able to convert on the power play.

Winnipeg was able to tie it back up after a shot towards the net hit a couple of different things on it's way into the net and the two teams were knotted up again 3-3.

Regulation came to an end and for the first time in the series, overtime was needed.

Overtime Solves Nothing

The first 10 minute overtime period solved nothing as both teams seemed a bit tentative, neither really wanting to make a mistake.

A penalty by Steinbach provided a few tense moments as Winnipeg controlled the puck but didn't really get much of anything towards the net as Radomsky and the penalty killers stood tall and forced a second overtime period.

Mixed Line Produces Huge

Radomsky came up huge in overtime as he battled and showed why he his one of the top goalies not only in the league but in Junior 'A' hockey. "He was spectacular." Dyck said after the game. 

A hardworking shift by the Pistons put the Blues on their heels a bit and forced an icing call.

The Blues used their timeout to get the personal they wanted on the ice while Pistons coach Paul Dyck debated a decision of his own.

"We had the line of Kilroy, Beauchemin and Mole on for a short shift before the icing and I actually was ready to call them off and put a different line on" the veteran bench boss said post-game. "But, I had a feeling and decided to stick with them and it seemed to work out."

On the face-off, Beauchemin won the puck back and Kilroy got it to Mole who directed it to the net. It hit off a body and went to the side of the goal where Beauchemin picked up the puck. As he was about to be surrounded by Blues defenders, Beauchemin banked the puck off the back of the goal, totally fooling the Winnipeg d-men, then found a streaking Kilroy who blew past the coverage and chipped the puck up into the top of the net, sending the Pistons off to round two with his first career MJHL playoff goal.

"It was me, just like everyone guessed." Kilroy said after the game, the trademark smile and laugh echoing through the Bell MTS Iceplex after fans from both sides had cleared out. "It was a great play by Beauch and I was able to get in tight and get it away quickly."

Game Notes

Steinbach's game winning goal came on their 43rd shot of the night as Radomsky finished with 39 saves.

The power play was 0-4 while the penalty kill was a perfect 5-5 including a huge kill late in the third and in overtime.

Up Next

Round 2 of the MJHL playoffs will start for Steinbach in Swan Valley as they take on the Stampeders. 

A full series preview is coming up later this week on SteinbachOnline.com.