The Steinbach Pistons put on a show for their home crowd on Friday night at the T.G. Smith Centre as they skated to a 5-1 win in a spirited affair, taking a 1-0 series lead over the Dauphin Kings in game one of the MJHL Championship Series.
Steinbach’s own, Ty Paisley opened the scoring at 9:18 of the 1st off a nice individual effort to give the home team an early 1-0 lead. Just minutes later, Cooper Rice outwaited the Kings defender and made a nice pass to Jack Rogers who tipped the puck in past Carson Cherepak, giving Steinbach a 2-0 lead.
Davis Fry added to the Pistons lead late in the 2nd period when Captain, Zac Patrick found Fry alone in front. Fry fired it through the arm of Cherepak to put the Pistons up 3-0. With under one minute remaining in the 2nd, Colby Jaquet dropped a pass to Kaden Bryant who snapped a nice shot past Simon Harkness, cutting the Kings deficit to 3-1.
Early in the 3rd period, Quinton Pepper retrieved the puck after a scramble at the side of the net and put it home on the wrap around to give the Pistons a three goal lead. Under five minutes later on a 2-on-1, Braden Birnie sauced a perfect pass over the defender to Quinton Pepper who blasted home his 2nd of the night, giving Steinbach a 5-1 lead.
The Kings would make a late push but had no luck as the Pistons wrapped up game one on home ice with a 5-1 victory. Each club was unable to capitalize on the man-advantage with the Kings going 0/6 while the Pistons went 0/4.
The two teams go at it once again on Saturday night in Steinbach in game two of the MJHL Championship Series best-of-seven.
