Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Forwards appeared to have the upper hand on defenceman at this stage of the off-season as the Picton Pirates bested the Napanee Raiders 7-5 in their first pre-season matchup, held Sunday in Wellington.
The exhibition match marked the first time either of the PJHL Jr. C hockey clubs had seen any game action since last spring’s playoffs.
Napanee jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opening 10 minutes as Cameron Krupa notched a pair of goals, sandwiched around one from Colby Cross.
Liam Philip got the Pirates on the board with a goal at the 10:20 mark of the first, setting up a string of six straight Pirate goals. Philip added another in the second followed by Ross Maycock at the 15:36 mark the tie the game at 3-3.
Picton went ahead for good just seconds into the third when Landon McLellan scored his first of the pre-season. Ian Harrison pushed the lead to 5-3 just three minutes later.
Napanee’s Noah Jacobsen finally snapped Picton’s scoring streak when he notched a goal at 6:21.
The teams traded goals from there to close out the scoring with Picton’s Kleighton Grove and Maycock each finding the back of the net, offset by one from Napanee’s Marshall McFarland.
Napanee’s goaltending duties were split evenly between Alex Zamuner (two goals allowed) and Aiden Vallier (five goals allowed). Carter Page handled the entire game in net for Picton.
Napanee will welcome the Pirates for another pre-season tilt on Friday at the Strathcona Paper Centre. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
From there the Raiders will face the North Kawartha Knights of the Orr Division for a pre-season home and home series, starting with Sept. 9 in Napanee and Sept. 11 in Kawartha. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. in Napanee and a 2:25 p.m. start on the Sunday.
Napanee opens the regular season Sept. 16 when they host the Amherstview Jets at the SPC. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.