The Picton Pirates have left 2023 in their wake and have a new gust of wind in their sails as they enter the 2024 portion of the Provincial Junior Hockey League regular season.

The Pirates took five of the six points available to them this past weekend. The Bucs downed both the Frankford Huskies Thursday and Port Hope Panthers Friday before dropping an overtime decision to the host Amherstview Jets Sunday. Picton remains undefeated in regulation over their past four games and have moved their record to 12-15-2.

Their recent run against the top clubs in the Tod Division bodes well for Picton come playoff time and illustrates these young Pirates are learning the ways of junior hockey.

The Tod Division-leading Frankford Huskies paid a visit to Picton on Thursday for the first home game of 2024 and it was a thrilling affair for over 200 fans who packed Huff Estates Arena.

THURSDAY THRILLER

Play was event through the first period but it was Frankford escaping the opening frame with a lead thanks to a seeing eye shot from the blue line by Ty McCambridge.

In the second, Picton drew even at 7:26 when Zach Brooks set up Gerrit Kempers with a nice pass close to the visitor’s net. The Ameilasburgh native made no mistake rifling a back hand over Huskies starter Dean Spry.

Just over three minutes later, Cole Stevenson sent a nice set up feed to blue liner Cole Lavender who went high glove side on Mr. Spry to make it a 2-1 advantage in favour of the hosts.

In the third, Picton extended their lead as they seemed to wear the Huskies down.

Owen Findlay set up Mr. Brooks for his seventh of the season at 13:27 of the final stanza. The Huskies tried to lift their netminder for an extra attacker shortly after but Luc Amat would air mail a shot into the gaping Frankford cage 31 seconds later.

But the gambit would eventually pay off for the visitors. Frankford scored three goals in a little three minutes to tie the contest and stun the Pirates. With under two minutes remaining, Picton was tasked with a 5-on-3 man disadvantage. Only the mastery of Picton goalie Ethan Schwarz ensured the home side would see the final buzzer with an opportunity to secure an extra point.

In overtime, Picton would have a pair of clear opportunities to win the game. Mr. Spry would thwart Aiden Treverton on a breakway but seconds later Nick Kirby would go top bunk and send Pirates fans home happy with winner with 2:56 left in the extra session.

FRIDAY

The following night at the Jack Burger Sports Complex, the Pirates played comeback on the host Port Hope Panthers.

The teams traded goals in the first and second periods to enter the third tied at 2-2. In the opening frame, Mr. Stevenson fed Mr. Treverton at 9:06 to answer Nate Burelle’s game opening tally. Kaiden Whitney fired home his third goal of the campaign at 15:19 as a response to an earlier Issac Langdon tally in the second.

In the third, the Panthers would again forge ahead with a Dailen Fousk goal at the 3:57 mark. But Mr. Stevenson once again spotted Mr. Treverton and the latter’s 14th goal of the year past former Campbellford Rebels teammate Brayden Friedrich squared the affair at 7:11.

Playing on the road in back-to-back nights, Picton showed great gumption in the waning moments of the game. Mr. Amat would spring Rheydan McCoy at 14:04 of the third to give the locals their first lead of the game and Mr. Schwarz saved some of his more scintillating saves for the final sequence as the Pirates escaped with a 4-3 win.

SUNDAY

In the final game of the weekend at Amherstview, the Pirates were able to sail out to a 5-2 lead through two periods of play but fatigue finally set in on the Bucs and Picton was only able to secure a single point in a 6-5 overtime loss.

Mr. Treverton made it a handful over the weekend with a hat trick while Ian Harrison notched his seventh and eighth goals of the season to help lead the Pirate attack.

But the Pirates surrendered three tallies in the third period and only the play of Mr. Schwarz kept their hopes alive into overtime. With the milage ratcheting up quickly, Owen Bauder was able to steal a loose puck and beat the Picton goalie at 4:44 of period four.

The Pirates are back in action on Thursday when they host Port Hope. The locals then travel to Frankford on Saturday with a road date with the Huskies.