Pistons split weekend series at OCN

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This article was published 02/12/2017 (2336 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winning at OCN is never easy. The Steinbach Pistons escaped OCN with a split in a key weekend series in a battle of the two top teams in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.

After a day long bus ride up north on Friday, the Pistons took a 3-0 first period lead and held on for a 3-2 victory in the opening game of the series.

In the rematch on Saturday, the Blizzard built up a 4-0 lead after 40 minutes and held on for a 5-2 triumph.

In Friday’s opener, scoring for the Pistons were defenceman Jaret Lalli, with his first of the season, along with Austin Heidemann and Daniel McKitrick. League scoring leader Bradley Schoonbaert picked up two assists in the game.

Matthew Thiessen picked up the win between the pipes for the Pistons with 27 saves as the shots were 29 apiece.

Defenceman Mark Wilson, playing his first game for the Pistons after being acquired from the Selkirk Steelers, also scored his first goal as a Piston in the third, his second of the season. Braden Purtill, with his 16th of the campaign, also scored for the Pistons.

Matt Radomsky took the loss in net for the Pistons as the Blizzard outshot the Pistons 36-30.

Schoonbaert leads the MJHL scoring race with 48 points in 28 games, including a league-leading 19 goals, and a four-point lead on Dexter Kuczek of the Blues.

Although the Pistons lost last night, so did the leading Winkler Flyers, in a 4-1 upset at the hands of the Dauphin Kings. Former Piston Danny Pion, traded to Dauphin earlier this week, had a goal and an assist in his debut with the Kings.

Winkler continues to lead the MJHL standings with 42 points, but the Pistons (20-7-1-0) are just one point back of the Flyers, and one point ahead of the third place Blizzard. The Pistons also have two games in hand on the Flyers.

There were two other upsets in the MJHL  as the last place Waywayseecappo Wolverines, starting to turn their game around, beat the Winnipeg Blues 7-6 in a shootout; and the Swan Valley Stampeders outscored the Portage Terriers 7-5.

With their third game in three nights, the Pistons will be in Swan River tonight for a 7:00 clash with the Stampeders.