Steinbach Pistons celebrate successes on and off the ice at banquet

A date decades in the making finally came to pass March 4, as the Steinbach Pistons were able to host their annual Fire and Ice Banquet at the Southeast Event Centre.

Team banquets in the past were held in Friedensfeld Hall or the Niverville Heritage Centre, but with a top class facility to play out of, the team transformed their ice surface into a banquet hall for over 500 guests.

Team president Grant Lazaruk welcomed guests to the 16th annual Fire and Ice Banquet.

“A major reason we hold the title of the best junior hockey organization in Canada is the incredible support we receive from our sponsors, from our volunteers, our fans, our community,” Lazaruk said.

“From the bottom of our hearts we thank you.”

Since Paul Dyck became head coach and general manager of the team and won a championship in his first year in 2013, the Pistons have never finished lower than third in the league standings.

The team announced Dyck had signed a five-year extension at the banquet, and he was delighted to speak in his hometown rink. Last year’s banquet had to be moved back to Niverville after construction delays.

“This milestone is a testament to the unwavering support of the community and we are grateful to each and every one of you who helped make this dream a reality,” Dyck said.

“This past season has been nothing short of extraordinary… It’s clear hockey is more than a sport here, it’s a way of bringing people together.”

Steinbach has reached the Manitoba Junior Hockey League’s semi-finals every year there were playoffs except for last season.

“We’re doing our budget planning process right now, and it’s a pretty good indicator of how confident we are in our team’s success in the playoffs,” Lazaruk told the audience.

“We originally started with three playoff games. When I talk about the stats, and the fact that we didn’t get past the first round last year, this is a 90 per cent chance we’re going to go to the finals, so we included nine games in our budget this year: So no pressure Paul.”

Team captain Sam Noad, who is from London, Ont. said Steinbach was the best place to play junior hockey in Canada.

“Our fans give us the best home ice advantage in the league,” Noad said.

“I know I speak for all the players when I say we’re going to do whatever it takes to bring another Turnbull Cup back to Steinbach… Michael Jordan said winning has a price, and this year we’re willing to pay that price.”

The Pistons are second in the country in junior A attendance, welcoming an average of 1,800 fans per game. The team also announced they were debt free after investing more than $1 million into their locker room and multimedia equipment at the SEC.

The team’s next project is a 750 square foot training/workout facility, which will not only help the Pistons, but also meet requirements for hosting major athletic events.