Just as quickly as the Nipawin Hawks could snatch home ice advantage, it was gone.
The Hawks, who grabbed a Game 1 win, gave it right back to the Steinbach Pistons after losing Game 3 of the Anavet Cup 6-2 on home ice.
Bradley Schoonbaert led the way offensively for the Pistons in their May 1 win registering a goal, and two assists, while Brady Tatro and Drew Worrad each added one goal and one assist.
Austin Heidemann, Daniel McKitrick and Easton Bennett added the other Pistons goals, while Matthew Thiessen picked up the win turning aside 23 of the 25 shots he faced.
Carter Doerksen and Logan Casavant responded with the Hawks goals, while Declan Hobbs was saddled with his second straight loss allowing six goals on 33 shots.
Bennett opened the scoring at 11:27, giving the Pistons a 1-0 lead after an even first period, that saw each team hold a short power play opportunity, and the Pistons lead 11-10 on the shotclock.
The second period got off to an ugly start for the black and gold as Tatro and Heidemann scored goals 1:09 apart, giving the Pistons a 3-0 lead just 3:20 into the second period.
Those quick goals seemed to deflate the Hawks a little as the Pistons dominated the remainder of the second period outshooting the Hawks 13-6, while adding a fourth goal as Worrad beat Hobbs at 10:09, giving the Pistons a commanding 4-0 lead.
Schoonbaert added a power play marker at 7:22 of the third, extending the Pistons’ lead to five.
With the game far out of reach, the Hawks pushed back a little in the final eight minutes, as Casavant and Doerksen sandwiched goals around a McKitrick power play strike for the Pistons, to cut the final score down to 6-2.
In a night where the Hawks were far from their best, it was only fitting that their special teams would struggle, as their power play finished 0-for-3, while the Pistons scored twice on five opportunities.
