DANKOCHIK’S DRAFTINGS: Loewen’s Pistons debut draws kudos from players, fans

There aren’t many things that could happen in the middle of a 6-3 victory for the Steinbach Pistons over a league bottom feeder on New Year’s Eve which cause me to rush to one end of the ice to the other and have the entire Steinbach Pistons injured/scratches come down from their place above the ice.

But that’s exactly what happened Dec. 31, as Jaxon Loewen was called into the net for the final 90 seconds of game action.

Loewen, who was born in Steinbach, normally plays for the junior B La Broquerie Habs, where he’s one of the better goalies in the Capital Region Junior Hockey League but has been called into action for the Steinbach Pistons for well over two months now.

With Chris Quizi and Easton Thvedt, the team’s starter and back-up to begin the season, both out with long-term injuries, the team needed someone to battle, not just as a back-up for game days, but also in practice week-in, week-out.

Loewen has been that player, and with 90 seconds left and Steinbach leading by three, head coach Paul Dyck put the local into the game, drawing cheers from the crowd and the Pistons scratches down to ice level to cheer on their teammate. With Quizi and Thvedt set to return in the coming weeks, Loewen may not have had another chance to get MJHL minutes.

Experiences like that are what junior hockey is all about, and are a perfect example of how to build and maintain a great team culture.

It was clear after the game, every player on the Pistons knew it was a great moment for Loewen, and were delighted to see their teammate get on the score-sheet as an official MJHL goalie.

They maybe should have done a better job defending for him, as one of Loewen’s two saves in that 90 seconds came on the breakaway, as Steinbach pushed for a seventh goal to give the fans pancakes through a Smitty’s promotion.

Moments like this one are why I love local sports, and are a massive reward for any fan who closely follows the Steinbach Pistons throughout the year.