Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Another instalment of the ‘Quinte Skyway Series’ will kick-off Tuesday as the Napanee Raiders host the Picton Pirates for Game 1 of the PJHL Tod Division quarter-finals with an 8:30 p.m. puck drop at the Strathcona Paper Centre.
A chance at an easier playoff path slipped through the hands of the Raiders following a 5-3 loss to the Frankford Huskies in Friday’s regular season finale. A win would have clinched the third seed for Napanee, earning them a first round playoff series with the winless Campbellford Rebels.
Instead Friday’s loss, coupled with a pair of wins by the Port Hope Panthers over the weekend, dropped Napanee to fourth, setting up a series with the fifth seed Pirates.
On paper, the Raiders still had the better season than Picton, finishing with 52 points compared to 37 for their opponent. Napanee potted 192 goals while allowing 123, a net positive of 69. Picton meanwhile was in the red in the department, scoring 143 while coughing up 167.
The Raiders received a pleasant surprise in the final two weeks of the season when starting goaltender Logan Vale, once thought to be done for the season with a head injury, returned for two games and is expected to be available in the playoffs.
Picton has proven to be a thorn in the side of Napanee at times this season, earning a 3-3 draw in their last meeting on Feb. 16. The two sides have actually split their last three meetings, with Picton winning 5-2 on Jan. 18 and Napanee claiming a 6-2 win a week later before the tie earlier this month.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will go Thursday in Picton (7:30 p.m.), Game 3 Friday in Napanee (7:30 p.m.) and Game 4 Sunday in Picton (8 p.m.).
If necessary Game 5 is set for Tuesday in Napanee (8 p.m.), Game 6 Thursday in Picton (7:30 p.m.) and a winner-take-all scheduled for March 8 at the SPC (7:30 p.m.).
These two teams last met in the playoffs in 2022, when Napanee won the semifinal showdown 4-1.
On the other side of the bracket, the Port Hope Panthers face the Rebels. The top ranked Huskies and second place Amherstview Jets have a first round bye and will await the winners of the quarterfinals.