Blizzard snowed under by Pistons

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 21/10/2018 (2010 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

If you’re a fan of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and the general well-being of the league, Sunday night’s MJHL tilt in Steinbach wasn’t that much fun to watch.

For the record, the hometown Pistons blasted the OCN Blizzard 7-0, and that came on the heels of Steinbach’s 6-0 triumph over the last place Blizzard one night earlier. The Blizzard have only won once in 13 games this season.

A couple of years ago the Blizzard franchise was given its last rites, but they have survived for another year (or two). Although with only 200 or so fans attending their home games, one wonders for how much longer.

And for the defending champion Steinbach Pistons, their relentless march to the top of the MJHL standings, continues. Losers of their first two games of the season and in last place following the opening weekend of play, the Pistons, now 9-4-1-0 on the season, are in second place, just a point back of the leading Portage Terriers.

Saturday in Steinbach, the Blizzard played tough through the first 40 minutes, as the Pistons only took a 1-0 lead into the final frame, before exploding for five goals in the third.

Boedey Vaeth and Tyson McConnell each had a pair of goals to pace the Pistons while David Queree and Aiden Wagner added singles. Matt Radomsky made 28 saves to post his first shutout of the season, lowering his goals against average to 1.91.

In Sunday’s rematch, the Blizzard were again a tough opponent in the first half of the game. Scoreless playing early in the second period, OCN’s starting goaltender Noah Giesbrecht, who has arguably been their best player this season, was injured and had to be helped off the ice. Giesbrecht had stopped all 20 shots he had faced up to that point.

OCN ran into penalty problems in the middle frame and the Pistons scored three times in the second and added four more in the third, outshooting the Blizzard 61-19, including 27-4 in the second period alone.

Brendan Martin led the Pistons with two goals and an assist while Boedey Vaeth had another strong game with a goal and two helpers. Max Neill, Tanner Mole, Brady Tatro and a shorthanded marker by Easton Bennett, completed the Steinbach scoring.

Tatro’s goal was his league-leading ninth of the season. He also leads the MJHL scoring race with 20 points in 14 games.

Matt Lenz stopped 19 shots to pick up the shutout for the Pistons in his third start of the season, lowing his goals against average to 1.32.

First place will be on the line Wednesday night in Steinbach as the Pistons host the Portage Terriers at 7:30 p.m. at the T.G. Smith Centre.