Pistons dominate Stampeders

As expected, and in routine fashion, the Steinbach Pistons have won their first two games of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League playoffs with relative ease as they defeated the Swan Valley Stampeders 4-0 and 5-1 on home ice this weekend to take a 2-0 lead in the best of seven quarter-final series.

The Pistons, who finished first overall in the league this year, have now beaten the Stampeders, who were the eighth and final qualifier, eight straight times this year.

In Friday's series opener, Matthew Thiessen was tested only 17 times to post the shutout, but was required to make some difficult saves along the way to keep the Stampeders off the scoresheet. The Pistons outshot the Stampeders 37-17 in the contest.

The Pistons, who skated to period leads of 2-0 and 3-0, were bolstered by the return of two their top scorers to the line-up, Braden Purtill and Drew Worrad, who had both been out for the past several weeks.

Tanner Mole scored a pair of goals to lead the Pistons while Purtill and Austin Heidemann added singles.

In game two Satruday night, Drew Worrad scored a pair to pace the Pistons to a 5-1 triumph. Adding singles for the Pistons, who skated to period leads of 2-0 and 4-1, were Brendan Martin, Will Koop and another by Tanner Mole, who only had seven goals in the regular season, but has already potted three in the two playoff games.

Matt Radomsky stopped 20 of the 21 shots, surrendering only a second period goal to Keaton Jamieson as the Pistons outshot the Stampeders 42-21.

Games three and four of the series will be played Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at Swan River.

In the other quarter-final match-ups, Winkler also leads the OCN Blizzard 2-0, while the Winnipeg Blues lead the Portage Terriers 1-0 and Virden also leads Selkirk 1-0.