The Virden Oil Capitals took down the top team in the MJHL standings on Friday night, defeating the Pistons 3-2 in a shootout in Steinbach.
Kirklan Lycar scored the shootout winner for the Oil Caps in what was a tightly-contested contest against a Pistons squad that’s tough to beat. The Pistons lead the league in goals for, goals against and are currently 11 points ahead of second place Portage in the league standings.
After a scoreless first period which saw the Oil Caps outshoot the Pistons 9-5, it was the home team that got on the board first as Drew Worrad’s 15th of the season on the power play at the 6:19 mark of the middle frame made it 1-0 for Steinbach. The Oil Caps responded however as Landyn Cochrane quieted the raucous Pistons crowd, scoring his first of two tallies on the night at the 11-minute mark, tying the game 1-1.
Cochrane’s second goal and fifth of the season at the 14:05 mark of the third period made it 2-1 for Virden. The Oil Caps were less than 20 seconds away from a regulation victory before William Koop tied the game on the power play with only 12 seconds remaining.
Riley McVeigh, named the first star on the night, stopped 34 of 36 shots to pick up the win in net, while Matthew Thiessen took the shootout loss, turning aside 30 of 32 pucks directed his way.
The Oil Caps, who improved to 24-11-2-0 after tonight’s win, will now travel to Winnipeg to battle the Blues on Sunday night. Game time for that contest is 6:30 p.m.