If any hockey observer needed evidence that a successful penalty kill can change the momentum of a game, they only needed to watch two minutes of perfection turned in by the Lakefield Chiefs in the late stages of the second period of Game 4 Saturday night.

Down 3-1 to the host Picton Pirates in a game Picton needed to win to extend their playoffs, Lakefield bench boss Jamie Arcand and his charges must have known that a power play goal by the hosts would likely be the catalyst to a loss and Game 5 in Lakefield the following day.

Chiefs penalty killers Charlie Blewett and Ethan Yantha didn’t need any extra motivation. They were whirling dervishes and prevented Picton from organizing to even attempt a successful entry into the offensive zone. To their credit, the Pirates already had three power play goals in the game. Luc Amat, Cole Stevenson and Isaiah More all lit the lamp with the man advantage.

But there wouldn’t be a fourth on this night.

Once the penalized Chief Cormac Clowater emerged from the sin bin, the Lakefield entry elevated their game to a new level that Picton couldn’t match. Alex Whitney converted on a 3-on-2 rush with under two minutes to go to make it 3-2 but for the second time in four games, the Pirates went into the second intermission with a one goal lead.

Unfortunately for the Bucs, they surrendered a third-period lead for the second time in the series in relatively short order. Mr. Yantha found Mr. Blewitt for an equalizer 48 seconds into the final frame.

Then, in the fifth minute, Ryan Bell picked off a weak clearing attempt and spotted Mr. Yantha at the side of the Picton net for a one timer. The goal stood as the series winner. After an emotional seven game series win against Amherstview in the Tod Division Quarter finals, Picton had no answer for the hard skating and heady Lakefield Chiefs. Just when Picton thought they had an answer, the Tod Division Regular Season Champs changed the question. The Chiefs and the Frankford Huskies, who themselves swept Napanee in the other Tod Semi-Finals, will play for the right to represent the Division in the 2026 Schmalz Cup playoffs.

Composure

Picton bench boss Jamie Lane said his club was tested to the limits both physically and mentally in the Amherstview series and matching the intensity against a completely different opponent with a different style. He said Lakefield did a good job of staying composed in key moments.

“There were stretches where we had them on their heels and were generating momentum, but they found ways to either get a timely goal or come up with a big penalty kill that shifted things back their way,” the coach said. “In playoff hockey those moments are huge. Credit to them, they capitalized on their opportunities and managed the momentum well, especially in Games 2 and 4. From our side, there are always a few moments you’d like back, but that’s how tight playoff series can be.”

Picton’s locker room resembled a MASH unit at the end of the series but there were also some key absences for a good chunk of the season. Jakob Gardner had 12 points in eight regular season games but a shoulder injury ended the sniper’s year. Shutdown centreman Kirk Stevenson was injured in the first game of the season and was lost for 2025-26. Overage defenceman Parker Stewart broke his leg right before playoffs. Liam Philip and Nate Woods didn’t dress for Game 4 and leading scorer Luc Amat battled through injuries in the series.

“When you’re facing a team like Lakefield that has a heavy roster of experienced junior players, you need those guys in your lineup. We ended up relying on a lot of rookies to step up in big playoff minutes. I’m proud of how those young players competed, but in tight playoff series experience and depth can make a big difference,” the coach added.

Looking Ahead

While the ending was tough to watch for Pirates fans, the club made some significant strides this season. They fell on hard times early in the new year and the offence dried up significantly. But through 30 games, Picton stayed within shouting distance of first place.

Hulking defender Cole Mulder was the Tod Division Rookie of the Year and rightfully so. The 2008 birth year blue liner will have no shortage of OJHL camp invites later this spring. The Guelph native made the most of his season in the PJHL and should have little trouble cracking the ranks of Jr. A hockey next year.

Fellow rookie defenceman Mathieu Petrut was ‘Steady Eddie’ for Picton’s defence corps and was used in all situations by the Pirates staff.

Another pleasant surprise was rugged rookie right winger Wesley Jackson. The Harrowsmith, ON native chipped in with three goals in the playoffs to go with his 13 points in 40 regular season games.

Rookie pivot Joey Bonter looks more than ready to take a step into the top two lines next season. His defensive work in his own end and ability playing without the puck was exceedingly admirable in 2025-26.

Netminder Nick Parodo also acclimatized to junior hockey well in his freshman season. The Belleville native went 7-6-0 in 18 games, posting a very respectable 2.83 goals against average and a .901 save percentage.