It was the classic case of opening night jitters for the Picton Pirates. The club can’t be faulted for uninspired play in their home opener Thursday night. They out shot Port Hope 42-34 and out played the opposition for long stretches of game. But Picton just didn’t have the finish they displayed in three contests prior.

And when they were able to get to the Port Hope Panthers net, Brayden Friedrich had the solution on the Pirates shooters. The Port Hope net minder foiled Colby Leaver on back-to-back breakaways in the second that would have likely changed the course of the game.

Pirates bench boss Jamie Lane said the ice conditions at Huff Estates Arena didn’t relate well to the team’s style of play which is more execution and crisp passing as opposed to a dump-and-chase style.

Port Hope opened the scoring early on the power play when Cole Harvey snapped home an Oz Paziuk rebound at 3:24.

The Cats doubled down in the second after Picton was unable to clear the zone and Angus Cairns showed some nice skill and used a toe drag to snap the puck past Pirates starter Nolan Lane with under five minutes left in the second stanza.

Blake Hudson made it 3-0 for the Panthers early in the third and frustration set in for Picton as they took extra penalties in a pair of scrums. Cole Stevenson was able to pot his second of the season for the Pirates while killing a penalty but it wasn’t enough and the locals lost 3-1.

On the rebound

In Baltimore on Saturday afternoon Picton was eager to turn the page on their first loss of the season and they didn’t spare the whip as they whitewashed the Trent Hills Thunder 8-0.

“Saturday was our best 60 minute effort playing without the puck. We hit our marks in all three zones and gave up very few opportunities to the Thunder,” Coach Lane said. Final shots were 32-21 for Picton with Nic McGrayne picking up his first goose egg of the year.

Picton’s Kirk Stevenson would notch a pair including the ice breaker in the first period that staked the Pirates to a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes.

In the second, Zack Brooks fired home his second of the year as did rookie Keagan Carr. Luc Amat added his third tally of the young season and it appears there will not be a sophomore jinx for the Roblin native.

In the third, Carr got his second of the game and third of the year while defencemen Will Potts and Kaleb Baldwin scored. For Mr. Baldwin, his first of the season goes along with five helpers and Picton is getting some depth scoring from the back end.

Defenceman Owen Findlay had four assists to lead the points parade.

Despite the score, the contest had a spirited finish as Mr. Leaver took on Reese Nugent at centre ice and felled the Thunder player with a big right hand.

Picton hosts Lakefield on Thursday as the Chiefs make their first visit here in over a decade.

“We know they are going to be physical and we have to be ready for the challenge,” Coach Lane added.