For the Picton Pirates, it’s a case of so close, yet so far away.

The locals came extremely close to cozying up to the Tod Division leading Frankford Huskies and putting some distance between themselves and the opposing Amherstview Jets Sunday night.

After shading the Huskies at home 4-3 December 21 to close out 2024 and opening 2025 with a 6-2 win over Trent Hills at home on Thursday, Picton was in prime position to make a statement to the rest of the Tod Division.

But, according to Pirates bench boss Jamie Lane, the team got in its own way. Despite out-chancing the host Jets and hemming the hosts in their own end for lengthy periods of time, Amherstview wound up besting Picton 5-4 in a special teams battle. The Pirates fired home a pair of power play goals but speedster Josh Kudo had two shorthanded tallies of his own to negate any Picton success with the man advantage.

“We felt we were the better team but you have to tip your hat to them and especially goaltender Noah Chin. He was spectacular throughout,” Coach Lane said. “We beat ourselves with costly mistakes and Amherstview is so well coached and they always seem to capitalize on those mistakes.”

In the first, Mr. Kudo and Jack Kedwell worked a 2-on-2 rush to perfection at 6:11 to open the scoring. Picton responded late in the frame when Cole Stevenson raced to a loose puck in the neutral zone and beat Mr. Chin on an odd man rush at 17:25.

Early in the second, special teams continued to haunt the Pirates as the Amherstview power play clicked 17 seconds into the stanza with veteran Caden Kekewich lighting the lamp for the Jets.

Mr. Kudo’s second shortie at 10:31 made it a 3-1 spread for the hosts but Picton crawled back into the contest in short order.

Cole Stevenson jammed home his second of the game at 12:56 to get the game to within a goal. Just 25 seconds later, Picton capitalized on another powerplay opportunity as Aiden Treverton’s point blast came off the post and deflected off the Amherstview goalie and into the net to make it 3-3 heading into the second.

Picton fell behind in the third 5-3 but were able to get within one in the final minute. Zack Brooks blasted home his 7^th of the season with 45 seconds left but the Pirates could get no closer.

Rolling the Thunder, Chasing the Huskies

On Thursday, the Pirates showed no holiday hangover as they got past the Trent Hills Thunder 6-2.

In front of 575 fans, the locals hit the scoresheet four times in the first period and never looked back.

Luc Amat’s game opening tally was a nice breakaway effort at 3:34 and Colby Leaver added his 11^th of the year at 7:53. Gerrit Kempers had a tap-in at the lip of the crease at 10:50 to give the Pirates a lead they would never relinquish.

Former Pirate Owen Ellis had both Trent Hills goals while Cole Lavender, Cole Stevenson and Parker Mattis all counted for Picton.

Picton’s win over Frankford Dec. 21, 2024 saw the locals cough up a two goal lead in the third period only to come back and break the hearts of the Pups in the late going.

Picton’s Owen Findlay and Zack Brooks each scored in the opening frame to build a 2-0 bulge for the hosts.

After a scoreless second, Frankford finally figured out Picton’s Nolan Lane in the third. Ryan Turney got the visitors on the board at 2:20 and Carrying Place’s Jakob Gardner would square the affair at the 3:44 mark.

Picton pushed ahead as Mr. Treverton fired successfully from down range, beating Huskies starter Dean Spry at 14:19.

But the Huskies tied it back up late as Joey Coates batted home a loose puck off a scramble in front of Mr. Lane with under three minutes to play to make it a 3-3 game.

But just as the contest seemed poised for overtime, Picton would get a reciprocal bounce in the Frankford end as Mr. Kempers banked the puck off Mr. Coates in front of the visiting mesh mansion with 41 seconds left. Picton survived the final minute push to skate off as victors.

The Pirates are at home on Thursday when they host the North Kawartha Knights.

The club welcomes touring anthem singer Matt Saddler who will sing O Canada. The Hamilton, ON native was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and has been blessed with perfect pitch. He has set a goal of singing our national anthem in 50 different hockey arenas in Ontario.

Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.