Courtesy of steinbachpistons.ca
Photo: Swan Valley Stampeders
The Steinbach Pistons beat the Swan Valley Stampeders by a score of 3-2 Monday evening to secure the series win and punch their ticket to the MJHL finals.
The Stampeders opened the scoring at the 7:40 mark of the first period. Stampeders captain Tyler Park got the puck out front to a wide-open Josh Danis who got the puck past Wasik to make it 1-0.
The Pistons would get a powerplay midway through the second period but would not be able to generate much and the game would go into the first intermission 1-0.
The Pistons would tie the game up 1-1 just over 5-minutes into the second period. Spencer Penner broke the puck out to Travis Hensrud. Hensrud banked the puck around a Stampeder defenceman and then ripped the puck off the post and past Kobe Grant.
A minute later Steinbach would strike again, making it 2-1. Noah Szabo put the puck on net from the point with the puck hitting bodies in front and bouncing to Ian Amsbaugh who tapped it in the open net.
With three and a half minutes left in the second period, Steinbach would extend their lead to 3-1. Ethan Johnson got the puck to a streaking Ty Paisley who then ripped it blocker side and past Kobe Grant.
With just over a minute remaining in the second period, Swan Valley would bring it back to within one goal. Noah Wilson centered the puck from below the goal line with Alex Walicki tapping the puck past Wasik to make it 3-2.
The Pistons would give the Stampeders a golden opportunity early in the third period to tie the game up with Landon Roberts being assessed a two-minute minor and a ten-minute misconduct for a hit to the head. With one of their main penalty killers in the box, Steinbach would bear down and kill off the penalty.
Steinbach would hold on and secure the 3-2 win, clinching the series. The Pistons now wait for their MJHL finals opponent, the winner of game 7 between the Portage Terriers and the Virden Oil Capitals.