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Marco Azzano scored a brilliant one-timer in the Dukes 12-0 romp over Lindsay on Sunday.

Dukes erupt with scoring barrage, win three of last four games

The puck moved easily from stick to stick—at speed. Passes worked. Onetime slapshots worked. It was obvious this powerful Dukes’ machine was, at last, running like a Swiss watch. So well in fact, it was inevitable the puck would end up in the net. No one figured it would be so many. And so often. Certainly not the Lindsay Muskies.

The Dukes scored more goals in Sunday’s 12-0 humbling of Lindsay than they had in their first six games of the season. Deprived of goal scoring through much of September, the Dukes have charged back, earning 25 goals in three games—an average of eight goals per game.

Every line contributed. 10 different players scored in Sunday’s shellacking of Lindsay. Every line scored at least two goals—the third and fourth lines scored three apiece. There was no place for opponents to hide. No chance to regroup.

At the other end of the ice, Taylor Welsh has been rock steady—though in Sunday’s rout, it must be said that Lindsay failed to muster a scoring threat in the entire game. They simply couldn’t penetrate the Dukes’ defensive wall. The Muskies registered 32 shots— but most were routine stops for Welsh. Even when awarded two full minutes of a five-onthree man advantage, the Muskies couldn’t find their way through to the Dukes’ net.

COBOURG 1- DUKES 0
On Monday night the guns that had blazed so loudly the night before, suddenly fell quiet as the Dukes were edged 1-0 in a tight defensive battle in Cobourg. The Cougars have designs on the OJHL championship this season and are structured and coached to win close games. They are well-trained to get the early lead and then block every attempt by opposing teams to gain control in their zone.

On Monday, they followed that game plan with precision—scoring to take the lead five minutes into the first period and shutting the Dukes out for the next 55.

DUKES 5 – TRENTON 2
Perhaps more telling of the season ahead for the Dukes was Friday’s 5-2 win over Trenton.

Last week, the CJHL ranked Trenton number one in the country. Trenton had, until then, faced only one East Division team—defeating Cobourg 3-0 in the first game of the season. Nearly all of the Golden Hawks’ lopsided wins had come against teams from other divisions.

Trenton’s glow was tarnished last Monday when Cobourg rebounded with five unanswered goals to hand the Golden Hawks their first loss of the season.

That set up the Dukes’ first visit to Trenton in the 2014-15 season.

Eager to erase the taste of their first loss, Trenton came out against the Dukes hard and fast. But they couldn’t beat Welsh—not until they had the power play.

Dylan Mascarin had a pair of goals and two more assists in Sunday’s game. On Friday he led his team with a goal and an assist in the Dukes 5-2 win in Trenton.

The Dukes turned the tables in the second period, as Luc Brown set the play in motion and passed the puck into the wheelhouse of newly re-acquired blueliner Justin Bean. Josh Supryka picked up the rebound from Bean’s blast and the game was tied. Late in the period, Nick Devito finished a slick passing play from Dylan Mascarin and Abbott Girduckis to give the Dukes a 2-1 lead.

Andrew Coupland, Joe McKeown and Abbott Girduckis combined to extend the lead early in the third. But a moment later, Trenton scored to narrow the Dukes margin to a single goal.

The Dukes were back on their heels coping with three consecutive minor penalties in the first half of the third period. It seemed it might slip away. For Trenton, it seemed the opportunity could not be any better. The Golden Hawks pressed for the equalizer. Too hard. The everwily and opportunistic Girduckis picked off a poorly considered pass and potted a shorthanded goal.

In the final minute, the Dukes were killing a penalty and Trenton had pulled their netminder. But Justin Bean won a key battle for the puck and passed to Joe McKeown streaking up the wing. McKeown found the empty net sealing the 5-2 upset of the Golden Hawks. It was only their second loss of the season and had come in back-to-back games with divisional rivals.

DUKES 12 – LINDSAY 0
On Sunday, the Dukes dominated the game from the opening whistle—earning a solid scoring chance on their first rush up the ice.

Before the first period was complete, the Dukes had a 3-0 lead—a fourth goal had been called back due to a hand pass. McKeown. Luc Brown. Girduckis. Four more goals in the second. This despite spending eight minutes of the period shorthanded. Ben Sokay. Chase St. Aubin. McKeown shorthanded. Marco Azzano—one-time top shelf.

In the third with the game in hand—Dukes GM and coach Marty Abrams rested his top two lines. Yet the scoring deluge continued. Five more goals. Dylan Mascarin from DeVito. DeVito from Mascarin and Sokay. Griffin McCarty redirecting a well-threaded pass from St. Aubin. Mascarin again, his second goal and fourth point in the game. Finally, Jeff Chistensen scored the Dukes twelfth unanswered goal—his first as a Wellington Dukes player.

LINE UP
The Dukes dealt forward Erick Delaurentis to the Hamilton Red Wings. Defenceman Justin Bean has returned to the Dukes from the Belleville Bulls. The sturdy and reliable defender made an immediate impact earning two points in two games.

Joe Leahy has been released.

Blake Peavey is sidelined with an injury.

UP NEXT: ST. MICHAELS AND BURLINGTON
The Dukes host the St. Michaels Buzzers on Friday night. St. Mikes has laboured to find wins so far this season. The perennial powerhouse has allowed 47 goals in 11 games—sixth worst in the OJHL. They have won just three.

But the most recent victory came on Sunday against last season’s Dudley Hewitt champions, Toronto Lakeshore Patriots. It is perhaps a sign the Buzzers may have shaken off a bad September and are preparing another charge up the South division ranks.

On Sunday, the Dukes travel to Burlington. In two previous matches against East division teams, Burlington has been outscored by a combined 16-0. The team has a goals-against-average of nearly seven. Worse for the West division Cougars is that by the time they face Wellington—they will have played four games in seven days.