Photo: Scott Stroh/Ice Wave Media
The Steinbach Pistons fell to the Collingwood Blues in their first game at the Centennial Cup by a score of 2-1 in overtime.
The first period was filled with constant back and forth rushes from both teams with little stoppages. Neither team could generate much, with the goalies turning away everything that came their way.
Both teams would take a penalty in the second half of the first period, but the penalty kills stole the show, disrupting zone entries and dumping the puck down the ice.
The game was tied 0-0 going into the first intermission with the shot totals 9-5 for the Pistons.
Collingwood would open the scoring at the 6:18 mark of the first period. Nathan Omeri would make two nice moves around Piston defencemen and then centered the puck to Mark McIntosh who put the puck past Dominik Wasik to make it 1-0.
Just under three minutes later the Pistons would even up the score. Ian Amsbaugh got the puck down low and then circled around the right faceoff dot and wired the puck past Noah Pak to make it 1-1.
A little past the midway part of the second period the Pistons would get their second powerplay of the game but would not be able to capitalize on the opportunity.
Through two periods of play the game would be tied 1-1 with the shot totals 23-18 for the Blues.
Throughout the third period, both teams would battle to find the go-ahead goal. Late in the third period the Pistons would make a push, but the momentum would be stopped by a double minor kneeing penalty taken by Langley Kruggel at the 18:30 mark of the period.
The Pistons would manage to stop the powerplay for the remainder of regulation and the game would go to overtime.
Steinbach would be shorthanded for the first half of overtime as they would have to kill off the remainder of the double minor. The Pistons would buckle down and would manage to kill off the penalty. All momentum produced from the clutch penalty kill would be immediately stopped as 5-seconds after the double minor ended, Parker Jasper would be called for a tripping penalty.
Steinbach managed to kill off the first half of the minor penalty but with 56-seconds remaining in overtime the Blues would score the game overtime winner.
Bryce Sutherland got the puck to Robert Strachan at the point who took a few strides in and put the puck blocker side through a partially screened Wasik to secure the 2-1 overtime victory.
Steinbach gets back at it on Friday night as they take on the host, Portage Terriers at 7:30pm.
Watch the highlights from Day 1 of the Centennial Cup below.
