GAME 6: Pistons 3, Stampeders 2 (Pistons wins Best of 7. 4-2)
The Swan Valley Stampeders had their 2023 MJHL Playoffs come to an end on Monday night after a 3-2 loss to the Steinbach Pistons in Game 6 of their 2nd round series.
After getting the only goal of the 1st by forward Josh Danis to take a early lead, the Stampeders surrendered three unanswered to begin the 2nd period to the Pistons from Ian Amsbaugh, Ty Paisley and Travis Hensrud before Alex Walicki made it a one goal game late in middle frame.
But that's as close as the Stamps would get as the Pistons locked it down in the third.
Dominik Wasik made 21 saves on 23 shots for the Pistons to earn the win, while Stamps G Kobe Grant in his final Junior game turned aside 30 of 33 shots.
Final Post game with Stamps Asst. Coach Darren Webster below:
GAME 5: Stampeders 3, Pistons 2 (Pistons lead Best of 7 series, 3-2)
The Swan Valley Stampeders once again stayed alive on Saturday with a 3-2 road win over the Steinbach Pistons in Game 5.
After a scoreless first period, the Stampeders for the fourth time in the series were able to score first as just 5 minutes into the 2nd it would be Jakob Jones slipping home his 5th of the playoffs to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
Then 5:42 later, Warren Marcotte walked across the blue-line and let a snap-shot go that just slipped through Pistons' G Dominik Wasik then just across the goal line for his 1st MJHL playoff marker to give Swan a two goal lead.
It stayed like that until the very late stages of the middle frame before Kirk Mullen banged home a rebound with just 3.3 seconds left past a sprawled out Kobe Grant for his 3rd of the post season to cut Steinbach's deficit in half heading into the 2nd intermission.
In the 3rd, the Stamps added to their lead with 3:58 left in regulation when birthday boy Steven Arp went wide and then his wrap-around squeezed through the five-hole of Wasik for his 1st of the series to make it 3-1.
Ty Paisley added his 6th goal of the playoffs with the goalie pulled in the final minute but that's as close as the Pistons would get.
Kobe Grant was rock solid in the Stamps net making 43 saves on 45 shots while Dominik Wasik made 23 stops in the losing cause for Steinbach.
The two teams will now meet in Game 6 on Monday night from the Centennial Arena in Swan River. GX94 will broadcast the game with the play by play starting at 7:00PM MB time.
GAME 4: Swan Valley 4, Steinbach 3 (2OT) (Steinbach leads Best of 7, 3-1)
The Swan Valley Stampeders stayed alive on Wednesday after a 4-3 win in Double OT over Steinbach in Game 4.
Adam Rajsigl scored twice for the Stampeders including the game winner just 1:24 into the 2nd over time period, while Callum Halls and Justin Keck also scored.
Dawson Milliken, Ty Paisley and Landon Roberts replied for the Pistons.
Kobe Grant was rock solid once again in the Stamps net making 55 saves on 58 shots, while his counterpart Dominik Wasik made 35 stops in the loss for Steinbach who now lead the Best of 7 series, 3-1.
The two teams will now meet in Game 5 of the MJHL Semi-Final on Saturday night from the T.G Smith Center in Steinbach with the play by play beginning on GX94 starting at 8PM MB time, right after Kinsmen Radio Bingo
GAME 3: (Steinbach 3, Swan Valley 2 (2OT) (Steinbach leads Best of 7, 3-0)
The Swan Valley Stampeders dropped their 2nd double OT game of their Semi-Final series on Tuesday night after 3-2 loss to the Steinbach Pistons in Game 3.
The Stampeders struck first in Game 3 as after a scramble in front it would be Jakob Jones getting credit and tapping it home for his 5th of the playoffs to make it 1-0 with 3:53 left in the opening frame.
Shots after 1: Stampeders 13, Pistons 8
In the 2nd, the home team added to their lead as Alex Walicki beat Dominik Wasik over the right pad just 5:18 into the period to make it 2-0 Swan.
But the Pistons responded just 4:16 later as Ethan Johnson's long point shot beat a screened Kobe Grant for his 2nd of the playoffs to cut the Stamps lead to 2-1 through 40 minutes.
Shots through 2 periods: 26-14 Swan Valley
In the third would be the tying goal with 4:09 remaining as Ty Paisley's shot pass was redirected in nicely by Dawson Milliken to tie the game.
After a scoreless overtime period, the Pistons got the game winner almost half-way through the double OT period as Milliken's back-hander in the slot beat Grant over the left pad to give the road team the win.
Dominik Wasik earned his 3rd straight win in the series making 35 saves on 37 shots in the Pistons' net, while Stamps G Kobe Grant made 38 stops in the loss.
Swan Valley will need a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night to keep their season alive as they trail the Best of 7 series, 3-0. Play by play on GX94 begins at 7:00PM MB time.
GAME 2 Pistons 5, Stampeders 1 (Steinbach leads series, 2-0):
The Steinbach Pistons scored 5 unanswered goals en route to a 5-1 win over the Swan Valley Stampeders on Saturday night to take a 2 games to 0 series lead in the MJHL Semi-final.
For the 2nd straight night it would be Justin Keck opening the scoring as he walked across the blue-line and sniped home his league-leading 7th of the playoffs at the 12:46 mark of the 1st to make it 1-0.
The Pistons responded a short time later as after scramble in front it would be Ian Amsbaugh poking in a rebound through the five-hole of Swan goalie Kobe Grant to make it 1-1 through 20 minutes.
Shots after 1: Pistons 13 Stampeders 12
In the 2nd, the Pistons grabbed their first lead of the night as Hunter Degelman went in alone on Grant and his snap-shot snuck through the right arm for his 1st of the playoffs to make it 2-1 with 11:03 left in the 2nd.
They added to their lead just under two minutes later as after a scrabble in front a couple Pistons' sticks whacked at the loose puck in the slot and Dawson Milliken got credited with his 4th to give the home team a 3-1 lead after 2 periods.
Shots in 2nd: Pistons 10 Stampeders 8
The only offence in the third period was a pair of powerplay goals from Dawson Milliken and the 2nd of the night from Ian Amsbaugh to wrap up the scoring.
Dominik Wasik made 25 saves on 26 shots to earn his 2nd straight victory in the series while Kobe Grant 27 stops in a losing cause.
The series now shifts back to Swan River for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday & Wednesday repetitively.
GAME 1: Stampeders 4, Pistons 5 (2OT)
The Swan Valley Stampeders dropped the opening game of their Semi-Final series on Friday night after a 5-4 double OT loss to the Steinbach Pistons.
The Stampeders got on the board first as Justin Keck capitalized on a Piston turnover and made no mistake for his 6th of the playoffs to make it 1-0 just 4:42 in.
But the Pistons responded back in a big way with 3 unanswered goals from Ty Paisley, Davis Fry and Noah Szabo just 4 minutes and 35 seconds apart to give the home team a 3-1 lead through 20 minutes.
Shots after 1 were 21-12 Pistons.
In the 2nd, it was another quick start for the Stamps as they struck shorthanded as Trey Sauder's shot was stopped but rebound came out for Jakob Jones and he tapped home his 4th of the playoffs just 1:11 in to make it 3-2.
Collin Jennings tied it up just 6:16 later as Justin Keck found him as the trailer and he went top-shelf over the left shoulder of Dominik Wasik for his 5th to pull the visitors even 3-3 through 2 periods.
Shots in 2nd were 12-11 Swan Valley making it 32-24 Pistons through 40 minutes.
Adam Rajsigl gave the Stampeders the early lead in the 3rd as he knocked in his 3rd of the year just 3:09 into the period to make it 4-3.
But the Pistons tied things up with just 1:47 to go as after a nice face-off play by Ty Paisley, Davis Fry's shot pass was deflected in nicely by Kirk Mullen and by Kobe Grant to make it 4-4.
After a scoreless first overtime, Ty Paisley ended the game just 3:38 into the 2nd OT as he went in on a 2 on 1 and beat Grant for his 2nd of the night to give the home team the win.
Dominik Wasik made 39 saves on 43 shots in the Pistons' net for the in, while Stamps netminder Kobe Grant made 48 stops in the loss.
The Pistons who now lead the Best of 7 series, 1-0 will host Game 2 on Saturday night.
