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Saturday afternoon, the Pioneers welcomed the Woodstock Slammers to town for their annual Pink the Rink game in support of the Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education and Recovery (CANCER) organization. The Forum was filled with pink as fans packed the stands, ready to rally behind their Pioneers for a cause bigger than hockey.
The first period remained scoreless as both teams battled hard at both ends of the ice. The second period nearly followed suit until the Slammers found the back of the net with just 10 seconds remaining, taking a 1–0 lead into the break.
Heading into the third, the Pioneers came out determined, generating strong offensive pressure with great setups and quality shots. Despite their efforts, Woodstock secured a second goal midway through the period, and the game ended in a 2–0 final.
Between the pipes, #1 Murat Shiyanov was outstanding, facing 45 shots and turning away 43 in a stellar performance. Most importantly, the night was a success beyond the scoreboard, as the Pioneers raised over $4,300 for the CANCER organization.
On Sunday, the boys hit the road to Lewiston to take on the Maineiacs. The opening period was competitive from the start, with both teams creating strong scoring chances. With under five minutes remaining in the first, #24 Hughes started the play, moving the puck to #13 Ward, who connected with #29 Patterson. Patterson sent a shot off the boards from behind the blue line that found its way into the net, giving the Pioneers a 1–0 lead heading into the second.
Lewiston responded in the middle frame, capitalizing on two power play opportunities and adding a five-on-five goal to take a 3–1 lead into the third. The Maineiacs added two early goals in the final period to extend their advantage to 5–1, but the Pioneers refused to back down.
Continuing to push offensively while maintaining a strong defensive effort, #22 Nenninger found #13 Ward, who set up #24 Hughes for the Pioneers’ second goal of the night, closing the game at 5–2.
#35 Julius Kolari stood tall in net, facing 40 shots and making 35 saves in a hard-fought effort.
The Pioneers now turn their focus to their final home game of the season on Friday, February 27 at 7:15 PM, where they will once again host the Maineiacs. The two teams will meet again Saturday at 7 PM at the Colisée, before the boys wrap up their weekend on Sunday in Quebec against Universal Quebec.