The Steinbach Pistons scored nine goals Sunday night. The Portage Terriers put 61 shots on net and still lost. In Dauphin, the Kings couldn't find a goal at all.
It was that kind of weekend in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League.
Seven games were played across Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18, with Steinbach collecting two victories, Virden continuing its impressive start and Selkirk pulling off one of the more remarkable results of the young season.
Between the offensive explosions, shutouts and goaltending performances, there was plenty to unpack.
Steinbach scores 13 in weekend sweep
Steinbach entered Sunday coming off a 4–3 overtime victory against the Swan Valley Stampeders. By the time the Pistons finished with the Winnipeg Blues, they had scored 13 goals in less than 48 hours.
The Pistons defeated Winnipeg 9–2 at RINK Training Centre, outshooting the Blues 49–24 and scoring four times in the opening period.
Miller led the way with four goals, accounting for nearly half of Steinbach's offence.
The Pistons went just 1-for-6 on the power play, meaning eight of their nine goals came without a man advantage.
That's the kind of offensive performance that leaves an opponent with few answers, particularly when the damage begins so early.
Two wins, 13 goals and four points. Not a bad way to spend a weekend.
Virden shuts out Dauphin with six-goal second period
The Virden Oil Capitals didn't need quite as much offence to make their point Sunday afternoon, but still left their mark on the road.
Virden defeated the Dauphin Kings 6–0 at Credit Union Place, erupting for all six goals in the second period.
The Oil Capitals outshot Dauphin 34–18, with the Kings managing just four shots in the middle frame.
The result continued an impressive opening stretch for Virden, which entered the matchup riding a nine-game winning streak.
For Dauphin, the concern goes beyond the final score. Generating just 18 shots at home is one thing. Managing only four in a period while allowing six goals is another.
Kostin steals the show in Portage
The most remarkable individual performance of the weekend might have come in Portage la Prairie.
The Terriers outshot the Selkirk Steelers 61–24 on Sunday.
They still lost 3–2 in a shootout.
The difference was first-year Selkirk goaltender Stefan Kostin, who stopped 59 of the 61 shots he faced, giving the Steelers a chance to steal two points in a game where they were heavily outshot.
Portage generated 37 more shots than Selkirk, including 22 in the third period, but couldn't turn that advantage into a victory.
The Steelers scored once in the second period and once in the third, while Portage got both of its goals in the final frame to force extra time.
Neither team scored in overtime, leaving the shootout to decide it.
For Selkirk, it was two points earned the hard way. For Portage, it's difficult to fault the performance. The Terriers generated more than enough shots, but couldn't find the goals to show for it.
Sixty-one shots should usually be enough to win.
On Sunday, they simply weren't.
Swan Valley responds, Niverville blanks Winnipeg
The Swan Valley Stampeders had little time to dwell on Saturday's overtime defeat in Steinbach.
On Sunday, they travelled to Winnipeg and defeated the Monarchs 6–2, scoring three goals in the third period to put the game away.
Swan Valley outshot Winnipeg 37–20 and went 3-for-6 on the power play.
The Stampeders finished the weekend with three of a possible four points, a respectable return from two road games.
Elsewhere Saturday, the Northern Manitoba Blizzard edged the Neepawa Titans 4–3, while the Niverville Nighthawks shut out the Winnipeg Blues 4–0.
For the Blues, it meant a particularly difficult weekend. Winnipeg was shut out Saturday before surrendering nine goals to Steinbach on Sunday, getting outscored 13–2 across the two games.
In total, the seven games produced 47 goals, with two requiring overtime or a shootout to determine a winner.
Steinbach leaves the weekend with four points and 13 goals. Virden has another shutout victory to build on, while Selkirk has Stefan Kostin to thank for a win that looked increasingly unlikely with every Portage shot.
The Terriers, meanwhile, are left with one point and a question that doesn't have a particularly satisfying answer.
How do you put 61 shots on goal and still lose?