It wasn't the face paced start the Steinbach Pistons hoped for as they gave up a pair of first period goals in an eventual 5-2 loss vs the Nipawin Hawks on Wednesday night.

Steinbach had a 2-1 series lead heading back into the cage where just a night earlier, they were able to run the show. From the opening puck drop, they were put on notice that it would not be the same game story.

Nipawin pushed the pace and after a good forecheck were rewarded when Brendan Arnold scored unassisted to make it 1-0 Nipawain.

The Pistons thought they had tied up the game later in the first as a pretty passing play from the top line eventually found the stick of Drew Worrad who rifled home a wrist shot but it was Hawks netminder Declan Hobbs that had kicked the net off micro-seconds before the puck went in, negating the PIstons goal that would have tied the game.

With less than 20 seconds remaining in the period, a scrambled play in the defensive zone gave the Hawks another goal as Brett Harasymukwas able to chip a puck over Matthew Thiessen's out stretched pad and push the lead to 2-0.

In the second, the Pistons took a double minor for high sticking and on the ensuing power play, the Hawks capitalized when Micheal Grant cashed in to make it 3-0.

Things would get interesting as in that middle frame as the Pistons started to mount a comeback, led by defender Darby Gula.

First, it was Gula scoring on a slapshot from just inside the blueline as he capped off a nice solo rush to make it a 3-1 hockey game.

Gula wasn't done there as later on the power play, he slipped his check and found some quiet space in near the top of the circle and was hit with a great pass from Worrad, Gula blasted a shot past Hobbs to make it a one goal game, 3-2 Hawks. Mark Wilson added an assist on Gula's second goal of the night.

Steinbach pushed and had a coupel chances but within one was as close as they would get. 

Still in the second, on another questionable power play, Josh McDougall got a wrister from the point through to make it 4-2. 

And the Hawks weren't done there. 

A broken play resulted in Brendan Arnold scoring short-handed to make it a 5-2 game.

That's all the scoring that would be needed as the ANAVET Cup is now deadlocked once again, this time at 2-2 heading into Friday's game 5.

The power play for Steinbach finished 1-6 while the penalty kill was 3-5.

Thiessen gave way to Matt Radomsky in the third as the Altona native allowed 5 goals on 22 shots. Radomsky stopped all 5 shots he faced including turning away a couple of good Hawks rushes.

With the win, Nipawin has guarnteed a game 6 that will be played in Steinbach on Monday night.