Hot in November

Dukes extend unbeaten streak to 13 games

The Wellington Dukes feasted on three teams with losing records over the past week to add three more wins to their season—extending their unbeaten streak to 13 games. The Dukes haven’t lost a game since the first week of October. Nine of these games in this stretch were played on the road.

So, it will be an action-starved hometown crowd that will welcome the Dukes back to Wellington for a pair of games this week— hosting Pickering on Thursday and Whitby on Friday night.

Jake Gagnon is a metronome of consistency, tallying points in all but one of his last ten games. In that span he has 12 goals and three assists. Gagnon leads the league in scoring and is second in overall points.

Jake Gagnon and Frank Vitucci continue to top the goal-scoring ranks. But their achievements mask the broad-based production that has driven the Dukes’ success. Ben Evans, Dylan Massie, Noah Massie, Quinn Hanna, Ben Woodhouse have each accumulated more than 20 points so far this season.

There remain some gaps in the Dukes game. Wellington plays short-handed more than every other team in the league other than the Lindsay Muskies. It helps, however, that the Dukes have a stellar penalty-killing team—with five shorthanded goals notched in their sticks.

On the other hand, the Dukes are only a middle- of-the-pack team when measured by scoring on the power play. They have, by far, spent the most time with the man-advantage in the OJHL (141 minutes), but have only scored 15 per cent of the time on the power play.

These are aspects the Dukes coaching staff will surely work on as the season progresses.

WELLINGTON 6 – WHITBY 1
It was a tough game in Whitby last Tuesday. The Dukes skated out to a four-goal lead by the middle of the second period on goals from Jacob Vreugdenhil, Ben Woodhouse, Dawson Ellis (shorthanded) and Ben Evans (power play). But from the opening minute of the second frame, the Fury had lost interest in winning the game on the scoreboard and were more intent on exacting a pound of flesh from their visitors. A melee erupted 44 seconds into the second period, resulting in nine players stuffed into the penalty boxes.

It didn’t improve the temperament of the game. A procession of mostly Fury players made their way to the box through the remaining two periods. Jake Gagnon and Landon McLellan (power play) tallied in the third after the Fury had potted a goal behind Matt Keeley in the Dukes net. Four Whitby players were suspended as a result of their exuberance.

The Dukes came home with two points, and a date to face-off against the Fury again this Friday.

WELLINGTON 4 – LINDSAY 1
On Friday the Dukes travelled to Lindsay for the third meeting between these East Division teams. Wellington established a three goal lead in the first period with a marker from Frank Vitucci and a pair from Ben Evans. The Muskies managed a power play goal in the second, but that was it. Jake Gagnon scored in a penalty-filled third period.

Jacob Vreugdenhil only turned 17 last week, yet in his second season with the Dukes he is as composed and reliable as any OJHL veteran. Using his blazing speed he is responsible, diligent and hardworking in both ends of the ice.

WELLINGTON 5 – BRAMPTON 3
On Saturday the Dukes were back on the road headed for Brampton, where a familiar pattern emerged. The Dukes compiled a 5-0 lead with goals from Daniel Panetta, Ben Addison, Brian Bygrave (his first in the OJHL) and a pair from Dylan Massie.

Wellington had overwhelmed the Admirals in the first and second periods, outshooting the hometown team 46-18. But a Brampton power play goal midway through the second seemed to spark the Admirals to a more competitive third. They added two more in the final period to make it interesting. But Matt Keeley, in his third start in the Dukes net in a row, shut the door and propelled his team to a 5-3 win.

UP NEXT: PICKERING AND WHITBY
A pair of games at home this week. On Thursday the Dukes host the Pickering Panthers. Pickering remains a mystery a year and a half after nearly pushing the Dukes to seven games in the first round of the playoffs (Wellington went on to the RBC Cup that season).

Many OJHL watchers were predicting an emerging powerhouse from Pickering after that achievement—but that idea soon fizzled. The Panthers finished out of the playoffs last season, and currently languish in fourth spot in the North Division. Pickering has won its last two games against Aurora and Georgetown—two former dominant teams struggling through an off-year.

It could be a good night for penalty killers Daniel Panetta and Dawson Ellis. Pickering has allowed the league’s fourth-most shorthanded goals—14 in 21 games.

Friday night will feature a rematch with Whitby, this time in Wellington. Since last week’s fight-filled game against Wellington, the Fury were thumped by Toronto Patriots 8-1, but followed that up with a shutout against a good Brantford team 2 – 0. Whitby will surely be looking for a better outcome against the Dukes on Friday night.

SHOUT OUT
Finally a shout out to Dylan Massie, Ben Woodhouse and Daniel Panetta. These three young men spent a day last week stringing up lights throughout the village in preparation for the Wellington Sparkles celebration on December 7. Resourceful, cheerful and hardworking, each of these young men were a delight to work with. Thank you. Thanks too to Lisa Ormond and Randy Uens for coordinating their availability.