The Picton Pirates came sailing home Saturday night with two impressive points that helped them leapfrog into first place in the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Tod Division.

Deep inside the Husky den in Frankford, the Pirates were able to mount a late third period comeback, handing the Huskies a second straight setback. Picton’s 6-3 road win moved the local’s record to 6-1-0, good enough for 12 points and the top of the Tod in terms of winning percentage at .857.

Pirates Head Coach Jamie Lane told the crew to look at the game as an early season opportunity to serve notice Picton was ready to battle for top rung in the division.

The Comeback

Down 1-0 after one, the Pirates went to work in the second period and 64 seconds into the middle stanza, Luc Amat set up Gerrit Kempers who beat Huskies starter Dean Spry to make it 1-1.

After being out-shot in the first period, Picton pounded the Frankford net with 14 volleys in the frame. Cole Stevenson gave Picton its first lead of the night at the 12:21 mark as the Pirates’ top trio combined on a neat scoring play. Aiden Treverton and Zack Brooks assisted on the go ahead goal.

In the third, the Pirate ship suddenly started taking on water early as Avery Wease fired home a pair of goals seven seconds apart to quickly give the hosts their one goal lead back.

In a hostile atmosphere, the Pirates regained composure and with just over five minutes left in the contest, their offence sprang back to life.

Colby Leaver would convert on a Frankford turnover at the 14:49 mark to square the affair at 3-3.

Just under a minute later, Mr. Terverton would spot rookie Trever Brooks and the freshman made no mistake firing home his second game winning tally in as many matches.

“I was so happy for Trevor, being a Frankford native and the Huskies showing not much interest in him, to go into his hometown and score a big goal like that,” Coach Lane said.

Mr. Kempers and Nolan Rosebush added empty netters to give the locals a three goal margin by the final buzzer. Mr. Treverton added an assist on the final Picton tally, giving him three helpers on the night.

Nolan Lane made 32 stops to pick up his fourth win of the season.

Playoff atmosphere in October

On Thursday, Picton and the Lakefield Chiefs hooked up for the first time since the 2014 Schmalz Cup playoffs. The Chiefs and the North Kawartha Knights are in the Tod Division this season after a PJHL-mandated realignment initiative,

In what was a highly entertaining, uptempo and fast game, the Pirates were able to best the visitors 3-1.

“It was a great display of playoff hockey in October with tight checking and both goalies were rock solid,” Mr. Lane noted.

After a scoreless first, the Pirates were finally able to solve Chiefs starter Ayden Bulmer in the second.

Enjoying a two man advantage, Mr. Terverton’s slick cross crease pass at 10:45 allowed Mr. Kempers time and space to blast a one timer into the semi vacant Lakefield net for the game’s opening tally.

Later in the period, Parker Mattis delivered a perfect pass to Trevor Brooks on a 2-on-1 rush and the rookie zapped a laser beam out of the reach of Mr. Bulmer to make it 2-0 after two.

Lakefield finally solved Mr. Lane at the midway point of the third with a power play tally of their own past Mr. Lane but the Picton goaltender was lights out otherwise on this night, making 35 stops.

Up 2-1 with less than ten seconds to play, Mr. Stevenson won a vital defensive zone face off and Cole Lavender was able to clear the biscuit out of harm’s way and fired an empty netter with a second left on the clock to make it a 3-1 final for Picton.

Picton hosts Amherstview on Thursday and stays idle until the following week when they host the Napanee Raiders for the first time this season.  The club announced they had acquired the right of Beaconsfield, QC native Presley Langevin from the Trenton Golden Hawks

“He will be a welcome addition and bring a lot of pace and scoring to our lineup,” the coach added.