The Steinbach Pistons shutout the Dauphin Kings 2-0 on Friday night in front of a sold out T.G. Smith Centre in Steinbach to take a 3-2 lead of the MJHL Championship Series.
After each team killed off a pair of early powerplay opportunities, the Pistons made the most of a Mathew Rathbone slashing penalty. On the powerplay, Jack Rogers pounced on a loose puck at the side of the net after it bounced off the end wall and got it in past Carson Cherepak.
Following a scoreless second period, the Kings would have a pair of powerplay opportunities early in the final twenty minutes but just couldn’t quite get anything going.
Dauphin would pull Cherepak for the extra attacker late in the 3rd and the Kings couldn’t quite find their footing as Braden Birnie would score on the empty net to solidify a Pistons 2-0 win.
Both goaltenders were outstanding for their respective teams on Friday night with Will Hambley stopping all 34 Kings shots for the shutout while Carson Cherepak stopped 27/28. Braden Birnie’s empty netter gives him 11 goals in the postseason to lead the MJHL.
Game six is set for Sunday night at 6:00 PM inside Credit Union Place in Dauphin when the Pistons will have a chance to hoist the Turnbull Memorial Trophy while the Kings will look to send it back to Steinbach for a game seven on Tuesday.
