Picton defender Nate Woods congratulate’s rookie goaltender Nick Parodo after the club’s 4-0 win over visiting Port Hope Thursday night. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
It was a good night for the Picton Pirates.
Because it was a great night for Nick Parodo.
Picton’s rookie goalie turned in a tidy 18 save effort to pick up his first Provincial Junior Hockey League shutout as the locals blanked the visiting Port Hope Panthers 4-0 Thursday, November 13.
On top of picking up his first junior hockey goose egg, Mr. Parodo also landed on the score sheet for the first time in his budding career. His heads up pass from his own goal line in the second period was the catalyst to Picton’s third goal of the night and earned the Belleville, ON native his first career assist.
The win improved Picton’s record to 10-6-2 and moved the Pirates to within six points of Tod Division-leading Lakefield.
The win snapped a two game skid for the Pirates who followed up a gritty 3-2 comeback win over Amherstview last Thursday with a pair of road losses in Frankford and Lakefield. Picton bench boss Jamie Lane praised his club’s discipline on a night where everything seemed to go right from the opening puck drop.
“Staying out of the penalty box was huge and we managed to play with mostly a full line up for the first time in a while,” Mr. Lane told the Gazette after the game. “It’s tough to win on the road when you don’t have a full crew.”
“Nick’s been really good and tonight he made the big saves that were in front of him. I also give a lot of credit to our guys in our end, they played really strong in front of him,” the coach added.
Picton got on the board first in the opening stanza when Caleb Martin’s point shot successfully traversed a gauntlet of arms and legs and caught the short side of the net behind Port Hope’s Aiden Cowan at 9:18. Luc Amat and Gerrit Kempers picked up helpers on the game winning tally.
The Pirates doubled down in the second with a pair of goals.
Early in the frame, Mr. Amat teed up Keenan Wiles on a two-on-one rush and the Carrying Place native went bar down for his 8th goal of the campaign. Veteran defender Nate Woods also had an assist on the power play goal at 5:53.
Late in the middle stanza, Mr. Parado was able to spring another odd man rush with a sauce red pass out of Picton’s end. Joey Bonter collected the feed and found his brother Jonny heading to Port Hope’s mesh mansion. With a deft backhand, the younger Bonter picked up his first junior hockey goal with 65 seconds left in the frame.
As time ticked down in the third, Picton added another insurance goal. This time, the eldest Bonter brother played trigger man, jamming home his third of the year with just under four minutes left. Jonny Bonter and Braeden Davis picked up assists on the successful goalmouth scramble.
Picton was tasked with a late penalty kill but the Pirates and Mr. Parodo were perfect on this night.
The freshman netminder was mobbed by his teammates as the final buzzer sounded.
“The guys were great at clearing the front of the net and eating a lot of pucks in front of me. That’s always appreciated,” Mr. Parodo said.
The Belleville Minor Hockey grad said he felt honoured to be offered a card by Picton during training camp. He added he’s planning on making the most of his first PJHL season.
“I can’t say enough about the Picton organization and this level of hockey. It’s a good pace and well structured.”
The Pirates were idle over the weekend and return to the ice with a home-and-home series with the Napanee Raiders. Picton hosts the first game on Thursday and returns the favour on Friday at Napanee’s Best & Bash Arena.
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