The Steinbach Pistons used a pair of first period goals scored less than a minute apart and defeated the Virden Oli Capitals 2-1 on Saturday night to win the Turnbull Cup final round series 4 games to 2. 

It was a chess match between two teams that gave everything they had in front of nearly 1600 people, including many from Steinbach who made the trip up to watch game 6.

As expected, Virden came out strong in the first and pushed the action but didn't get many terrific scoring chances thanks to the Pistons strong defensive efforts.

A couple of power plays didn't produce much with the exception of one play where Drew Worrad slid a puck back door to a streaking Braden Purtill who just missed the short side.

The Oil Caps got the all-important first goal of the game on a power play of their own. Ben Dalke cashed in to make it 1-0 Virden but in the process, woke the sleeping giant of the Pistons quick strike offence.

First, it was Riese Gaber walking out from the corner and slipping a shot home to tie the game 1-1. Jack Johnson had the lone assist on the goal.

Just 39 seconds later, it was Daniel McKitrick fighting for space below the Oil Caps goal line and was able to free up the puck and find Brendan Martin out in front for the tap in. Martin's 3rd of the playoffs was also assisted by Tristan Culleton. 

In the second, both teams continued to dump pucks in and push hard on the forecheck. Neither team had much in the way of chances but both Steinbach's Matthew Thiessen and Virden's Riley McVeigh were solid, stopping every shot fired their way.

Similar story in the third but with a few more chances for both sides. 

On a harmless-looking rush by Virden, Rylee Zimmer had a little time and space and snapped off a wrist shot that clanked off the crossbar and went out of play. 

You could almost see all the Pistons supports take a giant exhale after the puck went up and out as opposed to down and in.

Steinbach also had a couple chances with again Purtill looking dangerous on the power play but nothing came of it. The best chance perhaps came from Martin who slipped a seam in the slot and had a clear shot that was stopped by the blocking arm of McVeigh.

With just 3:35 left, the Pistons were assessed a holding penalty. Virden would have the man advantage with a chance to tie the game.

Like they have all series, the penalty kill unit stood tall with the likes of goalie Thiessen, captain Purtill, Tanner Mole, Tyson McConnell, Mark Wilson and Mark Taraschuk holding the fort and not giving the Oil Caps anything.

As the final minute was announced, Virden pulled the goalie in a last-ditch attempt to get things squared away.

The Pistons stood up and forced the Oil Caps to dump pucks in and it was the defenders with the relentless puck pursuit that refused to let the Oil Caps even touch the puck, let alone set something up in the offensive zone.

It was that same relentless puck pursuit on the forecheck that forced Virden to ice the puck with just 6 seconds left in the third period.

Time ticked away and the Steinbach Pistons, for the second time in franchise history, were on top of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League winning game 6 2-1 and the series 4-2.

The power play finished 0-5 while the penalty kill was 3-4 including that huge kill at the end of the game.

Thiessen made 28 saves on the night and was mobbed by teammates as soon as the horn sounded. Much to the delight of the Altona native and his family that were in attendance. 

The ice was flooded with parent's, supporters, board members and staff.

There were a lot of smiles.

Paul Dyck and a few players took some time to give their thoughts after hoisting the Turnbull Cup.

Paul Dyck - "It was 5 hard years in the making and obviously, this is very difficult to win. We had a tremendous regular season and to cap it off with now a championship, it feels tremendous but almost relieving to some extent. We had very high expectations coming into the season and we made it very clear as a group that this was our goal. Our first goal. Hopefully, we're able to accomplish more beyond this. I'm so proud of these guys.

Dyck has always believed in the character of a man as much as he believed in the skill as a hockey player. Winning this championship, really hammered that point home. "These guys love each other, they care for each other and they play hard for each other. There's no question that it provides affirmation. The guys we added this year, I had the ability to talk with their coaches and find out what kind of people they are. I saw them play, I saw the compete but I wanted to know how they were going to fit in the dressing room. You're not always going to get it right but this year it's been second to none that I've ever seen."

5 years ago, he was leading an underdog group to the title that really changed Steinbach. Now, being a Steinbach native himself, Dyck can't wait to bring it back home to the Southeast because he truly knows what it means to the community. "I'm so excited. Being a Steinbach native, it's my home, my families there. I'm thrilled. How the organization has grown and the fan support we've received year after year, we've become a hockey town. That was our goal. We have some incredible fans. We're very very grateful and this is for them.

Every time people drive into Steinbach, there's the old Steinbach Pistons MJHL Champions 2012-13 sign that hangs below the Steinbach sign, Dyck is more than a little excited for that to change. "I was getting tired of looking at that sign, I was gonna take it down one night. We had some chances over the last couple of years. It'll be nice to revise the sign."

Captain Braden Purtill - Had one eye on the clock as time ticked down and he shared what he was thinking in those closing moments. "Keep the puck out of our zone."

Purtill couldn't be prouder to lead this group as he was hit with wave after wave of emotions after the game. "We battled the last five minutes. We're a relentless bunch and we wanted it really bad tonight. We did whatever we could to get it. I have no words."

When Kim Davis made his way to the ice with the Turnbull Cup, Purtill was obviously very excited and as Davis called him over to take the trophy, his first thought was, "just let me have it already" the 20-year-old said with a laugh. "I've been dreaming to hoist a cup like that my whole life. This is my first championship and I couldn't be happier to win it with this group of guys."

Bradley Schoonbaert - One of the few players that experienced loss in the finals two years ago and also falling in the semi's last year, Schoonbaert tried to put what he was feeling into words. "It's unbelievable. I mean, we've been heartbroken the last two years, it's just a terrible feeling but to finally get it done, it just erases the feelings from the years before. I knew we had the right guys in the room, great character. It might sound cliche but this is the closest team I've ever played for. I couldn't be happier and with this group."

Brendan Martin - The man with the game-winning goal was in and out of the lineup during the playoffs but because of injury found himself back in and he made the most of it. "I feel great. It's not really about me, I feel great about our team. Everyone brought it. Everyone had it defensively. Everyone's so close in our room. We're brothers."

Mark Taraschuk - Biggest smile. Pure elation.

Mark Wilson - "It's a dream come true. This is why I wanted to come here. This is a moment I'll never forget"

Tyson McConnell - Did you know your helmet hit the ceiling when you went out to celebrate? "Yeah, I whipped it up really hard. I'm surprised no one gets 's hurt from falling helmets, actually."

Matthew Thiessen - While watching the celebration video remarked, "wow, my stick went flying. Cool."

Jaret Lalli - When asked if when he got to Steinbach from Minnesota, he thought it would happen, he responded, "I never thought it would feel like this. I knew winning a championship would be big, but this is huge. I didn't know how much this would mean and it's amazing."

The Pistons will take on the winner of the Saskatchewan Juinor Hockey Leauge for the Anavet Cup which will start in Steinbach later this week.