The puck was just out of reach for Abbott Girduckis on Sunday as he battles Whitby’s defenceman Patrick McAuliffe. Girduckis had both the defenceman and the netminder beaten, but the puck rolled harmlessly into the corner.

Dukes win three of four games

The Wellington Dukes managed to end their worst slump in years putting together three wins in their last four games (not including Tuesday’s result). But it remains uncertain the Dukes have completely shaken off the remnants of their previous five losses. Only one of the Dukes’ wins in the last week can be said to be a dominant performance.

This may speak more to the relative parity in the OJHL in 2013. Rarely have teams in this league been so competitive from top to bottom. The East Division is the best example of this phenomenon. Teams rotate in and out of first place faster than pancakes fly at a Legion breakfast. A win one night puts your team on top. A loss the next can send you to the basement. The five teams in the East are separated by just four points,

Only the Dukes win on the road against the Oakville Blades may be looked upon as a restorative victory. Second periods have been the Dukes’ weakness in recent weeks. It was almost a disaster in Georgetown.

DUKES 7 – GEORGETOWN 5
The Dukes arrived in Georgetown after a long bus trip, ready to turn their slump around. The game started well enough. Trevor Cope scored on the power play and Andrew McCann tallied a few moments later to give the Dukes a 2-0 lead.

In the second period, things turned sour early. A minute into the frame, Georgetown scored. But less than a minute later the Dukes’ Spencer Turcotte scored his eighth goal of the season, restoring the two-goal lead.

As the period was nearing an end Georgetown blitzed the Dukes, scoring three unanswered goals in a span of just 90 seconds, snatching the lead. Trevor Cope scored with a minute left to go in this terrible period—perhaps salvaging something good to take into the dressing room. But, alas, Georgetown scored on the power play just seconds later. The period ended with Georgetown leading 5-4.

Unless the Dukes could find a way to turn this fiasco around—it would be a long bus ride back to Wellington. It would take eight full minutes and a volley of shots on net before McCann scored the equalizer. He scored again four minutes later, his third in the game, to give his team the lead. This time they would not give it back. Mike Soucier scored an empty-net goal to seal the win.

Joe McKeown (left) and Abbott Girduckis
have been sent out against the opposition’s
best lines and on the penalty kill for much of
this season. But they are still generating
plenty of creative scoring opportunities.
This puck was shot from the blueline—intentionally off the boards. As it bounced back into play, McKeown was able to swat at it. Although the netminder stopped the puck, it was a great scoring chance.

The losing streak was over. They could close their eyes in relative peace on the bus ride home.

DUKES 3 – LINDSAY 2 SO
Winning in Lindsay should have been easier. The Muskies had lost their previous six games and have only won six games all year. It wasn’t until midway through the first period on Friday night that they managed to get on the board, as Abbott Girduckis scored his fifth of the season.

But in the second period the Dukes saw the game slip away from them again. Lindsay scored twice. Wellington had no response.

A power play goal by Spencer Turcotte in the third tied the score at two goals apiece. A shootout was required to determine the winner. Both Dukes shooters, Steven Deeg and Mike Soucier scored—just one Muskie shooter beat Adam Wood. The Lindsay native earned his sixth win this season.

The Dukes came home clutching the two points tightly.

DUKES 4 – OAKVILLE 2
The next afternoon they were back on the bus, headed for Oakville.

Andrew McCann scored a first-period goal to give his team the lead. But the Blades responded with a late goal in the first and another in the second. It seemed the second period would be the Dukes’ undoing once again.

In the third, it was the all-Dukes show. Eric Delaurentis scored a pair for his team-leading 14th and 15th goals. Joe McKeown added another.

Three wins in a row. The Dukes were on a roll. In the three wins, they had managed an average of 49 shots on net. They had battled through just two penalties. The ship had been righted.

It was the way the Dukes wished to return to home ice. But Whitby had other plans. The Dukes may have run out of gas. Midway through the game, the Fury had a 4-0 lead. Two regular strength, one power play and one shorthanded. Until then the Dukes had managed to outshoot Whitby, but couldn’t beat netminder Boyd DiClemente.

Before the period was done, Dukes forward Luc Brown found Parker Wood for a long lead pass. Wood streaked down the wing as youngster Maurizio Colella headed for the net. Woods’ pass hit Collela’s stick in the crease and the Dukes were suddenly on the board.

Sixteen seconds into the third Trevor Cope picked up a rebound in the mid-slot area. Rather than slam the puck on net—the crafty winger held on, slipped wide and tucked the puck past the surprised netminder. The comeback was on.

But Whitby was having none of it. They tightened up and kept Wellington to the outside. The Dukes would get their chances, but could not edge closer. The Fury added and empty netter to seal the win.

The Dukes were set to take on the Fury in Whitby again on Tuesday evening, after press time.

YOUNG EAGLES OF MANNHEIM
Remember that the Germans are coming. A national team of juniors from Mannheim will visit Wellington for an exhibition game on Tuesday, December 3. Tickets are just $10 each, general admission.

DUKES WELCOME JUNIOR CANADIENS

The Toronto Junior Canadiens play in the South Division of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) and can trace their roots back to the Wexford Raiders. During the 2002 playoffs the Raiders held a three games to one lead in their best-of-seven-series before one of the great comebacks of all time took place. The Dukes rattled off three consecutive wins to head off to the OJHL finals for the first time in franchise history. Some of the Duke players on that roster were goaltender Dan La Costa and defenceman Derek Smith, who both went on to play in the NHL, as well as local product Ryan Woodward, who spent four years at NCAA Oswego State and is the current Head Coach of the Picton Pirates, all-Ontario Junior C Champions this past spring.

In 2006, the Raiders re-located and became the Junior Canadiens. Three years later they met the Dukes again, in the Central Division finals, with the Dukes coming out on top in five exciting games. Duke standouts that season included forward Marc Senecal (NCAA Brown University), defenceman Curtis Leonard (NCAA RPI) and goaltender Steele DeFazio (CIS Queens University).

The current Jr Raiders have several outstanding players, including forward number 78 Anthony Repaci, defencemen number 4 Aaron Thow and number 14 Jake Walman while goaltending duties are shared by Nathan Colitto and Daniel Lopapa.