Picton Pirates netminder Nolan Lane accepts a new goalie helmet from Custom Edge’s Chris Rice prior to Thursday’s game. Mr. Lane was the top goalie in the 63-team league in the month of November, post 7 wins, a 1.11 GAA and .965 save percentage. (Pirates Photo)
Pride in their work on the defensive side of the puck helped the Picton Pirates quiet the Trent Hills Thunder in a home-and-home series this weekend.
At home on Thursday, the Pirates scored five unanswered goals over the final 40 minutes to best the Thunder 5-1. Then in Campbellford on Sunday, the Pirates again gave up the game’s opening tally only to tilt the ice and win going away 4-1. With the pair of wins, Picton (18-6-1, 37 points) holds down second place in the Tod Division, two points ahead of third place Napanee and five points clear of the Amherstview Jets.
Picton trails division leading Frankford by three points.
A pair of workman-like efforts against Trent Hills left Picton skipper Jamie Lane in a jovial mood Monday morning. The Gazette reminded the coach that the former Rebels organization has been trending in a much better direction than in years past and have almost doubled their win total from the past three seasons combined.
With a pair of stud netminders in Andrew Claughton and Glenn MacInnes, the Thunder can catch a team dreaming about their next game and not the matter at hand.
“We are really happy with the team’s pride in taking care of the puck and limiting any high percentage scoring plays. When you do that and put in the work, you are going to be successful,” the coach told the Gazette.
Picton outshot Trent Hills 106-54 over 120 minutes of play and the fact neither game was settled until partway through the third period is thanks to the heroics of Mr. MacInnes.
But Picton has a pair of starry netminders of their own. Nolan Lane accepted the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s goaltender of the month award on Thursday night and then proceeded to make 24 saves for his 12th win of the season.
“Nolan came in this year focused and ready to work, all while balancing a full school load,” Pirates General Manager Allan Etmanski said. “To see him honoured province-wide shows the quality of goalie he is and indicative of the effort he puts in every single day.”
On Sunday, it was Nic McGrayne’s turn to defend the Picton net and the Demorestville native kicked out 26 Trent Hills volleys for his sixth win of the year.
“Both our goalies stood tall and were great when needed to be and our play in our own end was exemplary,” Coach Lane said, noting Picton’s tandem sits at a sparkling 2.22 Goals Against Average and a 0.932 SV percentage.
With just 59 goals surrendered through 25 games, the Pirates are one of the stingiest clubs in the PJHL’s Eastern Conference, trailing only the division leaders in Clarington and Frankford.
Trent Hills forward Ethan Lord would break the ice on Thursday night, firing home his second of the season to stake the visitors to a 1-0 margin through 20 minutes.
But the locals broke through in the second and it was Liam Rice potting his first PJHL goal. Mr. Rice started the scoring play in his own end with a crisp head man pass and followed the play to the Trent Hills goal where Gerrit Kempers provided a cross crease pass from the corner. Mr. Rice fired a bullet into the open Trent Hills net at 4:22 to make it 1-1. Luc Amat also picked up an assist on the play.
Picton would double down at 9:49 when their energy line combined for the game winner.
Nolan Rosebush and Parker Mattis teamed up to get the puck to the net and Colby Leaver made no mistake banging home his ninth of the campaign.
Picton continued to dominate territorially in the third and finally broke through on Mr. MacInnes in the late going.
Mr. Kempers fired home a power play goal at 17:36 to make it a 3-1 Picton lead. Trent Hills lifted Mr. MacInnes in an attempt to get closer to Picton but Kirk Stevenson would air mail the puck into the Trent Hills cage from the opposing blue line.
Mr. Mattis made a nice move in tight to the Trent Hills goal and tacked on his fifth tally of the season with 15 seconds left to make it a 5-1 final.
On Sunday, Mr. McGrayne’s body of work was as excellent as Mr. Lane’s on Thursday. With hulking Brodie Brooks screening him, Mr. McGrayne didn’t see Carter Rightmeyer’s power play blast at 12:55 that provided Trent Hills the game’s opening goal for the second time in the series.
The Pirates didn’t wait around to get their offence going and responded just under two minutes later then Cole Stevenson teed up an Aiden Treverton power play volley at 14:28 to draw even with the hosts.
In the second, captain Zack Brooks notched his fourth of the year thanks to passes from Cole Stevenson and Mr. Trevorton 58 seconds into the stanza.
Picton picked up another power play tally later in the period when the Captain fed Colby Leaver at 10:40.
In the third, Kirk Stevenson assisted on Trevor Brooks’s 12th of the year to make it a 4-1 final.
The contest was a story of brotherly love. On the Picton side, both Kirk and Cole Stevenson combined for three points. But in what might be a bit of PJHL history, Trent Hills’s Brodie and Picton’s Zack and Trevor Brooks combined for four points on the evening. All three skaters are sired by former Pirate Ian Brooks.
Picton is in Lakefield on Tuesday before picking up with visiting North Kawartha on Thursday night.
The Pirates finish off the week by sailing into Napanee on Friday.
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