Jason La Rose
Almost no one did it at both ends of the ice quite like the Steinbach Pistons, who posted the second-best goal differential in the CJHL at +166 (behind only Terrebonne, at +206) en route to a franchise-record 100 points.
Steinbach swept away Swan Valley in the first round before downing Winnipeg and Virden in six games apiece – coming back from an 0-2 deficit against the Oil Capitals to hoist the Turnbull Cup for the second time in six years.
It clinched its first-ever trip to the RBC Cup with an emotional series win in the ANAVET Cup, taking out the SJHL champions from Nipawin in six games to claim the West Region berth in Chilliwack.
HOW THEY GOT TO CHILLIWACK
Manitoba Junior Hockey League Quarter-final: defeated Swan Valley 4-0 (4-0, 5-1, 6-0, 6-5 2OT) Semifinal: defeated Winnipeg 4-2 (3-1, 2-3, 5-3, 1-3, 3-0, 3-2) MJHL championship: defeated Virden 4-2 (1-2, 3-4, 5-3, 4-0, 7-1, 2-1)
ANAVET Cup West Regional: defeated Nipawin 4-2 (3-4, 3-1, 6-2, 2-5, 2-1, 2-1)
REGULAR SEASON
Record: 48-8-2-2 (1st in MJHL) Goals for: 296 (1st in MJHL) Goals against: 130 (1st in MJHL) Power play: 68 for 281 (24.2% – 2nd in MJHL) Penalty killing: 211 of 256 (82.4% – 3rd in MJHL) Longest winning streak: 10 (Dec. 3-31/Jan. 12-Feb. 9) Top 3 scorers: Bradley Schoonbaert (36G 55A 91P – 2nd in MJHL) Drew Worrad (29G 46A 75P – 6th in MJHL) Darcy Gula (14G 47A 61P – 16th in MJHL)
PLAYOFFS
Record: 16-6 Goals for: 78 Goals against: 43 Power play: 20 for 101 (19.8%) Penalty killing: 71 of 81 (87.7%) Top 3 scorers: Drew Worrad (9G 18A 27P) Bradley Schoonbaert (9G 16A 25P) Austin Heidemann (8G 9A 17P)
NATIONAL JUNIOR A CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
First appearance
CJHL NATIONAL RANKINGS – WEEK-BY-WEEK
Preseason – 19th Sept. 25 – 9th Oct. 2 – 20th Oct. 9 – 11th Oct. 16 – 15th Oct. 23 – 13th Oct. 30 – 10th Nov. 6 – 6th Nov. 13 – 5th Nov. 20 – 18th Nov. 27 – 16th Dec. 4 – 14th Dec. 11 – 12th Dec. 18 – 11th Jan. 8 – 13th Jan. 15 – 13th Jan. 22 – 11th Jan. 29 – 9th Feb. 5 – 4th Feb. 12 –4th Feb. 19 – 3rd Feb. 26 – 3rd March 5 – 3rd
COMMITMENTS
Riese Gaber – Western Michigan University (2018-19) Darby Gula – Bemidji State University (2018-19) Matthew Thiessen – University of Maine (2019-20) Drew Worrad – Western Michigan University (2018-19)