Pistons win, stave off elimination

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This article was published 02/04/2017 (2579 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Facing elimination, the Steinbach Pistons won their biggest game of the season at a packed house in Steinbach Sunday night, edging the Portage Terriers 3-2 to stay alive in their Manitoba Junior Hockey League semi-final series.

The Terriers, the two-time defending champions, still lead the best of seven series 3-2, as the Pistons, first place finishers this year, dig deep to stay alive in this post-season as the series now shifts back to Portage for game six on Tuesday.

Twice the Terriers took the lead in last night’s game and twice the Pistons rallied to tie it before Braden Purtill, named the 1st Star of the game, scored the winner with 5:45 left in the third, his seventh goal of the playoffs.

Chase Brakel opened the scoring for the Terriers late in the first, but the Pistons quickly responded as Danny Pion scored on the powerplay just 59 seconds into the second period.

Brakel scored again midway through the second to restore the lead for the Terriers in the tense affair. But again, the Pistons anwered, this time a goal by defenceman Mark Taraschuk, assisted by Purtill just 33 seconds into the final frame.

Roman Bengert was strong in net for the Pistons making 25 saves as the Terriers outshot the Pistons 27-21.

Game time Tuesday at Portage is 7:30 p.m. If the Pistons stare down elimination again, a tumultous game seven would be played Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. in Steinbach

Waiting in the wings in the league finals are the rested OCN Blizzard, who swept the Winkler Flyers four straight in the other semi-final series.