They are a study in contrasts. Of opposites coming together. It’s hardly imaginable that two more different teams than the Wellington Dukes and Markham Waxers would meet after 50 regular season games and four and six playoff games respectively.

During the regular season the Markham Waxers alternated nightly, it seemed, between shoot-out-the-lights brilliant and morbidly quiet. Winning 10-2 one night, losing 5-1 the next. It happened all season like this for the Waxers.

The Dukes on the other hand strung together a long series of low-scoring, single-goal wins. Not flashy but effective. The Waxers were either explosive or missing from the ice. The Dukes put their nose to the grindstone every game and had to work diligently and studiously for each goal and each win.

The Waxers amassed 210 goals in 50 games; the Dukes just 181.

But in the end it was how many the Dukes managed to keep out of their net that made the difference. The Dukes allowed just 132 goals in the regular season — lowest in the East, second lowest in the CCHL. Markham, on the other hand, allowed 175 which explains why they finished with the middle of the pack and not among the leaders.

But all this is meaningless in the post-season. Many armchair oddsmakers had picked the Lindsay Muskies to knock off the Waxers in the first round of the playoffs. But the Waxers jumped out to a two-game lead — firing 84 shots at the Muskies’ Matt Ginn in game one. The Muskies battled back to tie the series at two, but ran into penalty trouble in Markham in game five, earning 63 minutes in penalties. Rather than buckling down, both Markham and Lindsay appeared to have lost their minds in game six in Lindsay. The first period saw eight goals scored; Lindsay was out in front 5-3.

In the second period the scorefest continued with three goals in the frame — the Waxers a goal closer to tying the game. Markham evened the score in the third and scored in the double overtime to win the game and series.

Markham proved that when it comes to the playoffs, they’re prepared to do what it takes to win.

This has Dukes Coach and GM Marty Abrams on edge.

“They’ve got a lot of depth,” said Abrams. “They have four well balanced lines, and a lot of veterans who have been through the playoff wars before. Two really strong defenders in Jeff Least and Jordan Mustard, and their goaltending has been strong especially after picking up Kimlin from Pickering and Palazesse.

“On paper they’re the top team in the division. We are going to have to play our best game to beat them.”

Abrams believes his team is up to the task. “We often play our best games against Markham.”

Markham was hindered somewhat this season by some spotty defensive zone play.

“They’ve struggled at times after giving up some soft goals. Even in a couple of games in Lindsay they had some problems defensively — but we have to force that issue — because our success is going to come from exposing their defensive weaknesses. If they tighten up defensively it will be a tough series.”

POWER PLAY PROWESS

Though it is early in the playoffs the Dukes are making the most of their man advantages, boasting a powerplay scored percentage of 47 per cent. Markham, on the other hand, struggled on the power play in the first round, scoring just 13 per cent of the time with a man advantage.

WINNING IN WHITBY

After giving up a chintzy goal in the opening seconds the Dukes’ Mitch Rosborough raced up the ice and fired a shot from a long way out that beat the Whitby Fury netminder Jordan Tanner. The wind behind Whitby disappeared.

Jeff Stanton scored a pair, Pat McEachen set up three and scored another. Jeremy Franklin and David Pratt added goals as the Dukes romped over Whitby 7-2.

Rosborough scored another in the game — but it was his lead goal that turn the tables on Whitby and set the tone for the rout.

“Rosborough was outstanding in that series,” said Abrams. “That line of Cam Yuill, Mitch Rosborough and Zack Jones goes unnoticed sometimes but in the series against Whitby they played unbelievably well. One of the assistant coaches told me after the game that it was his opinion that Yuill’s line was the absolute key to the victory in that series.”

CRUEL SCHEDULE

Getting ice in Markham to host playoff games has been a challenge. So the Dukes have been forced to start their second-round series on Thurday night in Wellington with games to follow on Friday, Sunday (Wellington) and Monday. Then after a break, the series would resume on Friday, Saturday and Sunday (if necessary).

WELLINGTON DUKE’S FAN BUS

Friday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. from the Wellington Arena to Markham. Call Betty 613-399-1573 or Doug 613-476-2823.