The Picton Pirates made the most of their lone home preseason date on August 28, quieting the Trent Hills Thunder 8-3.

Picton, in their first Provincial Junior Hockey League tune up, looked stronger as the game wore on. After taking a 1-1 tie to the dressing room after the first period, the Pirates notched three in the second to pull away from the visitors.

Cole Stevenson would fire home his first of two on a power play at 3:09.

Speedster Johnny Bonter lit the lamp at 11:05 and Picton once again struck with the man advantage when Keenan Wiles made a slick feed to triggerman Jakob Gardner at 15:39.

In the third, the teams combined for a half dozen goals and, ironically, it was either new or old Pirates bulging the twine.

Mr. Wiles, Gerrit Kempers, Nate Woods, and Mr. Stevenson all scored for Picton while past Pirates regulars Owen Ellis and Tyler Brady managed goals for the Thunder.

Wes Jackson picked up Picton’s first goal in the opening frame. Nick Parado and Andrew Claughton spilt the netminding duties.

In other Pirates news, the club announced the signing of defenceman Cole Mulder, graduate of the Guelph AAA program. If the family name sounds familiar to local hockey fans, there’s good reason. Cole is the son of former Belleville Bulls forward Brent Mulder.

The Pirates are off to Frankford September 6 and 7 where they will take part in a preseason showcase tournament. Picton will duel with Clarington twice as well as the host Huskies and Napanee.

The Pirates are in Napanee Friday September 19 to open the 2025-26 PJHL season and return home Thursday, September 26 when they host Port Hope.