Making things happen

Luc Brown leads his team in points, goals and assists. He is second in the OJHL in points and assists.

Dukes move into third place on the back of a five-game winning streak

Luc Brown and Jacob Panetta are making their college recruiters look like geniuses. Both are having breakout seasons in their final year of junior hockey. Both are headed to NCAA Division I hockey programs next season. Brown with Union College, Panetta with Colgate.

For some, the knowledge that they will play elsewhere next year drains the current schedule of its urgency. Not so with Brown and Panetta. Each is having a career season. In the Wellington Dukes’ current winning streak of five games—Panetta has earned seven points, Brown has generated 13. Neither is letting up. If anything, each is getting better.

More frequently these days, Panetta will eagerly seize the opportunity to weave through traffic with the puck, more often than not, creating a scoring play deep in his opponent’s zone. It is a function of the confidence he has in his linemates to support him but I suspect there is a growing poise in this talented young defenceman. I doubt any other Dukes player has ever skated as smoothly and assuredly with the puck as Panetta does. He is equally attentive and skilled in his own end.

Brown has an abundance of gifts, size, skill, speed and ability to see the game and predict what his adversary will do. But it is likely his work ethic and commitment to put in the time to become a better and smarter player that has resulted in him becoming the league’s second highest point-getter.

There are two NCAA recruiters watching the Dukes games these days feeling pretty good about their ability to spot talent.

Jacob Panetta missed seven games, due to injury, but is still the Dukes’ fourth leading point-getter.

MISMATCH
The Wellington Dukes extended their winning streak to five games over the weekend. In doing so, they have moved into third place—though just a point ahead of Cobourg, nine back of secondplace Kingston.

It was a lopsided affair against the woeful Mississauga Chargers on Friday. The Dukes dominated every aspect of the game. However, the Charger’s netminder, Tyler Richardson played well, keeping the score from getting out of hand. Colin Doyle scored first. Just a shot on net, from a bad angle. But Richardson wasn’t set. And the Dukes were on the board.

Later, Ben Sokay scored a short-handed goal— though the Dukes continued to dominate even on the penalty kill. Presented with a gift in the slot— a rebound from a Justin Bean shot—Sokay simply directed the puck around the netminder into the net. Dukes ahead by two.

In the second, Panetta scored his first of two goals. This one was on the power play from Brown and Dylan Mascarin. Early in the third, all three combined for Panetta’s second goal. Sokay added another power play goal midway through the third, giving his team a 5-0 lead. Anthony Popovich, though rarely tested in the game, was working on his second shutout of the season late into the third. But a defensive breakdown by the Dukes late in the game allowed Mississauga’s Aiden Parker to spring loose up the wing. Parker ended Popovich’s shutout bid.

Panetta finished with three points, Brown assisted on four of the Dukes’ five goals.

DEJA VU
It was a Groundhog Day on Saturday as the Dukes visited Aurora for the second time in a week. Oddly enough, this game saw Wellington emerge with the identical 3-1 win they had secured the previous Saturday night.

Once again, Brown led his team, scoring twice and adding an assist on Wellington’s third goal by Mascarin. The Dukes top line, with Sokay, did all the damage in the road win.

Olivier Lafreniere went the distance in net for his sixth win of the season.

UP NEXT: COBOURG AND NEWMARKET
Tonight, the Dukes travel to Cobourg hoping to extend its lead over the Cougars. On Friday night, the Dukes return the favour, welcoming Cobourg to Wellington. It is a chance for the Dukes to put some air between themselves and fourth place Cougars in the East division, and begin the hunt for second place.

On Sunday, the Newmarket Hurricanes visit Wellington. The Dukes will be looking to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Hurricanes in Newmarket earlier this month.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW
When the Fort Wayne Komets and Brampton Beast skated out onto the ice in Brampton on Sunday, four former Dukes players were in the lineup for this East Coast Hockey League game.

Ed Pasquale and Chris Auger play for Brampton, while Curtis Leonard and Nick Kuqali defend the blueline for Fort Wayne. Pasquale earned the win as the Beast shut out Fort Wayne 2-0.