Oil Caps lose third straight in series, fall 7-1 to Pistons
It wasn’t the start the Oil Caps were hoping for in Game 5 of the MJHL championship on Thursday night in Steinbach.
Two goals in the first minute by the Pistons put the Oil Caps in an early deficit and they unfortunately couldn’t climb back, eventually falling by a score of 7-1 in front of a packed house in Steinbach.
For the Oil Caps, it’s their third straight loss to the Pistons and they’re now down in the series 3-2 and will look to stave off elimination on Saturday in Virden in Game 6.
After Drew Worrad opened the scoring just 37 seconds into the contest, Braden Purtill would make it 2-0 just 11 seconds later. Worrad’s second goal of the period via a penalty shot at the 7:18 mark made it 3-0 after 20 minutes.
The Oil Caps showed signs of life early in the second as Kolten Kanaski was able to net a shorthanded tally at the 3:49 mark, however the Pistons responded, scoring three unanswered in the middle frame off the sticks of Tyson McConnell (10:06), Austin Heidemann (14:54 on the PP) and Easton Bennett with just a second to go, as Steinbach poured it on offensively, leading 6-1 after 40 minutes.
The Pistons shut down the Oil Caps the rest of the way, eventually netting a seventh goal late in the contest (Tanner Mole at 19:55) on the power play.
Matthew Thiessen turned aside 21 shots to pick up his ninth win of the postseason, while Riley McVeigh started the contest between the pipes for the Oil Caps, stopping 21 of 27 shots through two periods before Dalton Dosch came in for the third to finish the contest for Virden.
The Oil Caps will now look to even up the series in Game 6 in Virden on Saturday night. Game time for that contest: 7:30 p.m.
Oil Caps fans… We NEED YOUR SUPPORT for Game 6! Let’s keep this series alive!
Tickets for Game 6 at Tundra Oil and Gas Place are now OPEN TO THE PUBLIC at the Oil Caps office, Valleyview Co-op Mini Mart and Virden Sport & Fashion! Pick up your tickets ASAP!
It’s also a guaranteed $5,000 50/50 jackpot that night! Come on out and cheer on your Oil Caps!