Road to the 2018 RBC Cup: MJHL
The Steinbach Pistons did it with defence, allowing just 130 goals to go back-to-back atop the Manitoba Junior Hockey League
The Steinbach Pistons did it again, and they did it with defence. The Pistons made it back-to-back regular-season championships in the MJHL with a dominating defensive performance, allowing just 130 goals in 60 games. Steinbach wasn’t too bad at the other end of the ice, scoring a league-high 296 goals – its +166 goal differential was the lone mark above +90 in the MJHL. Bradley Schoonbaert was an offensive leader again, earning his second top-five finish in league scoring with a 91-point (36G 55A) performance. Goaltenders Matthew Thiessen and Matthew Radomsky were the class of the MJHL between the pipes; Thiessen led the league with a 2.06 goals-against average and tied for the lead in wins (31), while Radomsky was second in GAA (2.16) and led the way with eight shutouts – five more than any other puck-stopper.
PLAYOFF MATCH-UPS 1) Steinbach Pistons vs. 8) Swan Valley Stampeders 2) Virden Oil Capitals vs. 7) Selkirk Steelers 3) Portage Terriers vs. 6) Winnipeg Blues 4) OCN Blizzard vs. 5) Winkler Flyers
FINAL STANDINGS (W-L-OTL) Steinbach – 100 points (48-8-4) Virden – 83 points (40-17-3) Portage – 82 points (38-16-6) OCN – 72 points (32-20-8) Winkler – 70 points (35-25-0) Winnipeg – 69 points (31-22-7) Selkirk – 66 points (31-25-4) Swan Valley – 63 points (28-25-7) Neepawa – 54 points (25-31-4) Dauphin – 30 points (14-44-2) Waywayseecappo – 20 points (8-48-4)
LEADING SCORERS Dexter Kuczek (Winnipeg) – 37G 55A 92P Bradley Schoonbaert (Steinbach) – 36G 55A 91P Matt Christian (Winkler) – 32G 49A 81P Jeremey Leipsic (Portage) – 28G 53A 81P Tyler Kirkup (Virden) – 40G 35A 75P
LEADING GOALTENDERS Matthew Thiessen (Steinbach) – 28-3-1, 2.06 GAA, .923 SV%, 2 SO Matthew Radomsky (Steinbach) – 20-5-1, 2.16 GAA, .912 SV%, 8 SO Lasse Petersen (Portage) – 18-6-1, 2.29 GAA, .918 SV%, 2 SO Emilien Boly (OCN) – 21-12-3, 2.76 GAA, .924 SV%, 2 SO Troy Martyniuk (Winkler) – 28-19-0, 2.77 GAA, .912 SV%, 3 SO
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE 2015 (Portage Terriers – national champions)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCES 13 (2015 [host], 2014, 2012, 2011, 2010 [host], 2007, 2005, 2002, 1995, 1992, 1992 [host], 1974, 1973)
LAST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 2015 (Portage Terriers)
TOTAL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 3 (2015, Portage Terriers; 1974, Selkirk Steelers; 1973, Portage Terriers)
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