The Steinbach Pistons pushed their points in consecutive games streak to 15 despite falling in a shootout to the Winnipeg Blues on Wednesday night at Bell MTS Plex.

The Pistons got off to the kind of start they wanted. They pushed the pace, they were crisply exiting the zone and generated scoring chances with speed driving to the net.

At the midway point of the frame, Jack Johnson showed off some super slick moves as we walked around a Blues defender then made a pretty deke around the goalie to tuck home his 11th of the year from Will Koop and Darby Gula.

While Steinbach had a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard, they also led in the shots department 13-7 after 20 minutes of play.

In the second, a hard-working shift from Codey Behun got Winnipeg squared up 1-1.

Steinbach would get the lead back when Riese Gaber punched home his 25th goal from Johnson and Jack Lenchyshyn to give Steinbach their one goal lead back.

They would find the back of the net again just over three minutes later when Austin Heidemann scored the 21st goal of his rookie season to make it 3-1. Mark Wilson and Gaber had the assists on the maker. 

The Blues would get back within one while on the power play as Brady Castellano tipped home a point shot to cut the lead to 3-2. The goal was controversial as it appeared Castellano touched the puck with a high stick but after a very brief discussion between the officials, the goal was allowed to stand. 

Steinbach's details began to slip in the late stages of the second period as Winnipeg cranked up the desperation level and it carried over into the third as  Behun snapped a wrister into the net for his second of the game, knotting up the contest at 3-3.

Both the Blues and Pistons had a few chances in regulation but it solved nothing and fans were treated to some free hockey.

In 3 on 3 overtime, both teams appeared to come out cautions, wary about making any mistakes. While there were a few rushes and nice saves by both goalies, it eventually led to a shootout.

With the Blues up a goal in the breakaway challenge, Bradley Schoonbaert needed to score to keep the game going and he did just that sliding a pretty little backhander home to force more shootout action.

Both goalies continued to turn aside shots until Winnipeg scored in the 8th round. Easton Bennett also scored to keep going another round.

It took 9 rounds but eventually, the Blues were able to come away with the win 4-3 in a shootout.

Matt Radomsky was saddled with the shootout loss but played very well especially bailing his team out of a couple of almost costly turnovers on top of giving them a chance in the shootout. Radomsky made 24 saves on the night.

The Pistons had their chances throughout the game and that includes a couple of key power play situations that they were unable to capitalize on finishing 0-6. The penalty kill was 3-4.

Coaches Notes

Pistons coach Paul Dyck didn't hold back after the game on what he thought about what he saw from the bench. "I thought we played for stretches through 40 minutes and then in the third, the compete wasn't there. Once we get into the first round of the playoffs, we'll get hungry teams. We're playing hungry teams now and that's what the first round's going to look like and tonight we weren't up to the test."

It's been a bit of an issue of late, the word "details", something that Dyck brought up to his players after the game. "Details and puck management. Turnovers on the back end were probably at a season high tonight." As a follow-up, when asked if one of the details the coach thought his team got away from was keeping things simple, the response was quick, "no question. We saw glimpses of it in the first, a little bit in the second but then in the third, it got away from us."

Up Next

A desperate team fighting for a playoff spot/playoff positioning and a team that has played the Pistons tough the past two weeks will be making stops at the TG Smith Centre over the weekend. 

Friday night, a possible playoff preview as the Swan Valley Stampeders make a stop followed by the Dauphin Kings on Saturday night. 

Another point Dyck drove home after the game was a consistant effort. "We need to play the right way for 60 minutes. We can't have one and a half periods of the type of hockey we want to play. We need to come out and be ready."

Superstar Seeing Stars

Drew Worrad was forced to leave the game in the third period when he took an apparent hit to the head. The Pistons second-leading scorer was down on the ice for several minutes but did manage to make his way to the bench under his own power. After a brief stay, he eventually made his way to the locker room and did not return to the contest.

After the game, Dyck didn't immediately know the status of his top line centreman. "We're not sure right now. When he was on the bench, Jeff (Eidse, athletic therapist) decided we just take him to the room and haven't really had a chance to talk to Jeff yet."

Also when asked if he saw the play that took Worrad out of the game, the coach responded: "I caught a glimpse of it but I haven't seen it for a second time."

It's unknown if the team will send in the video for supplemental discipline from the MJHL.