Depth

Dukes finding ways to win despite depleted line up

The Dukes continue to rack up wins— despite a fifth of the team sidelined with injury or suspension. Missing are Ben Evans, Evan Miller, Tanner Tolliver, Ryan Smith, and Noah Massie. Ben Woodhouse returned to the Dukes lineup on Sunday in Trenton after serving a twogame suspension earned against Toronto Junior Canadiens over a week ago.

It was an opportunity for the team’s younger players—Barrett Joynt, Jacob Dietz and Nathaniel Burelle—to show their mettle. And they were likely leaned upon a bit more than planned Friday night as the Dukes gifted the visiting Whitby Fury with 10 power play opportunities, including a couple of two-man advantages. The youngsters did their job, enabling the Dukes’ penalty killers a chance to breathe.

The Dukes are in Buffalo this week participating in the Governors’ Showcase tournament where they faced Aurora yesterday, Burlington today. They host the Trenton Golden Hawks on Sunday afternoon back in Wellington.

Frank Vitucci tucks home what would be the game-winning goal on Friday night. Vitucci leads his team, and the OJHL, in goals scored, with seven in seven games.

DUKES 5 – WHITBY 2
Whitby is a better team than their .500 record. They are a strong team, and fast. Yet they struggle to score—to hit the net. This helped the Dukes on Friday. So did Matt Dunsmoor. The Dukes’ netminder demonstrated to Wellington fans his athleticism—swinging rapidly from post to post—and a lightning-fast glove hand.

But this was a game about the worker bees. The Dukes players who come to the rink every day, looking to get better, doing the hard work necessary to succeed.

Whitby was trailing 2-1 early in the second period, but was playing a disciplined, structured game—ably slowing down the Dukes forwards from skating through the neutral zone, penning the Dukes shooters to the outside in offensive end of the ice. This would require another approach. Daniel Panetta and Dawson Ellis, along with Brett Humberstone set to work. Grinding. Pushing. Faster on the forecheck. Wearing down the Fury defence. Panetta sees an opening. Hits the post. Still they move the puck around. Cycling. Stuff short side. Stopped. Vitucci was on the spot to flick it over the Whitby netminder. A goal earned solely based on hard work. Backbreaking for the Whitby squad.

Yet, the Fury scored again early in the third. Narrowing the Dukes’ lead to a single goal. By then the ref’s arm was rising with greater frequency with a succession of Wellington players headed to the penalty box.

Despite playing long stretches with two of their skaters in the box, the Dukes were still finding offensive breaks. On one such break, Panetta swooped down the wing. Got a shot on net. Gathered his own rebound. But rather than another shot from a long way out, the clever forward carried the puck to the opposite end of the ice. From behind his own red line, Panetta then flung the puck deep into the Whitby zone. Consuming valuable seconds from the penalty kill. Preserving the win.

Penalty killing won the game on Friday.

WELLINGTON 5 – TRENTON 3
On Sunday, the Dukes faced the vaunted Trenton Golden Hawks, who entered the game with just a single loss in seven games. The Dukes had Woodhouse back in the lineup, but still many of their key pieces watching from the stands. Despite this challenge, the Dukes skated to a 4-1 lead midway through the second period—chasing Trenton’s starting netminder Anand Oberoi in favour of Olivier Troop.

Jake Gagnon continued to set the pace for the Dukes—the OJHL even—scoring the first goal and assisting on the next three Wellington goals.

Daniel Panetta (12) and Dawson Ellis set the pace of play on every shift.

But then, late in the second, the Golden Hawks scored at the tail end of a power play. There was some life yet, in Duncan McDonald Memorial rink. Trenton added another in the third to heighten the drama.

The Dukes pushed against the late rally—preventing Troop from vacating his net for an extra shooter until there were just 45 seconds left on the clock. It made no difference. Vitucci won the battle for the puck and skated it to open ice before depositing it into the empty Hawks net.

UP NEXT: BURLINGTON, TRENTON, COBOURG
It’s a busy week for the Dukes with four games on the schedule. This will be a test of the team’s depth and the resilience of the younger players who will be asked to carry a heavier load.

Wellington played Aurora yesterday as part of the Governors’ Showcase and Burlington today. Aurora is off to a poor start with nothing but losses in five games. Burlington, on the other hand, is unbeaten in six games and leads the West Division. Miserly on defense, the Cougars have allowed just 10 goals so far.

On Sunday, the Dukes welcome the Golden Hawks to Wellington for a rematch. Trenton is unlikely to let the Dukes jump out to another wide lead.

On Monday, the Dukes head to Cobourg to face the East Division Cougars for the second time this season. On September 13, the Dukes defeated Cobourg 5-2, with Gagnon earning another multi-point performance.