Hard slog

Dukes defeat the highest-ranked team in Canada

The Wellington Dukes travelled to Milton on Sunday on the heels of a hardfought but ultimately losing battle against the Trenton Golden Hawks on Friday. Earlier in the week, the Milton Menace were ranked Canada’s top team in the Canadian Junior Hockey League. And Sunday games are weird. The Dukes hadn’t won a Sunday game thus far in the season.

But…

The Dukes jumped out to an early lead. Really early. First-shift early. Edward Moskowitz combined with Corbin Roach and Erik McNeil to put the Dukes ahead 27 seconds into the game. Then both teams hunkered into a defensive posture. Both teams were disciplined. Structured. Keeping their opponents to the outside. Barring opposing snipers an easy entrance into the offensive zone.

Few good scoring chances. Just intense back and forth. Then early in the second period, a Menace goal. On the power play. But moments later Julien Jacob regained the Dukes’ lead, from Connor Hunt and David Campbell. A moment later the game was tied again. Another Milton power play goal. The teams retreated to their defensive shell.

With just over five minutes remaining in the game, Captain Jacob Vreugdenhil scored to give the Dukes the lead. This time for good. Jared Langdon and David Campbell earned assists.

Ethan Morrow was spectacular in the Dukes’ net, turning away 36 of 38 shots. The best team in Canada could not beat Morrow five-on-five.

TRENTON 2 – WELLINGTON 1
Much of Trenton emptied out on Friday and headed to Wellington. Attendance for the game at the Dukedome Friday night was 1,118 for this much-anticipated match in what has been dubbed the Hasty P’s Cup. The first of five this season.

For two periods Trenton dominated this game. Hard-fought grinding hockey. The Golden Hawks consist mostly of 19- and 20-year-olds. The Dukes are younger. Faster. Smaller.

And for two periods it was clear which formulation was working. Early in the first frame, a costly giveaway by a Dukes defender resulted in an early Trenton goal. It was too easy. But the Dukes settled down. They worked a quick transition game using their speed to escape prolonged pressure. But Wellington struggled in the corners, and along the wall in the Trenton end. The towering Golden Hawks inflicted spine-adjusting collisions upon the Dukes forwards courageously doing battle in the corners.

And while they could tame Trenton’s offence, they could not find the means to beat Ethan Fraser in the Golden Hawks’ net. It wasn’t until well into the second that Trenton’s Austin D’Orazio found a seam. Shot. Jacob Osborne made the stop, but the puck bounced off his pad and looped over the netminder. Trenton’s Jordan Fuller swatted the puck into the gaping net.

The Dukes were down two goals and prospects were bleak as the second period ended.

But something happened during intermission. Wellington found an extra stride. Trenton lost one. Or two. (It is hard work tenderizing your opponent for 40 minutes.) Suddenly the Dukes were taking the game to the Golden Hawks. Winning the battles for the puck. Drawing penalties.

On the power play, Lucas Lapalm collected the puck from Moskowitz. Lapalm swooped through the midslot—as a bird of prey over a mole-pocked pasture. He found his target. Locked in. Shot. Top corner far side. The Dukes were on the board.

Moments later, Jaxen Boyer was set loose on a partial break, but was cut down before his shot was delivered. It may have been a brilliant defensive play by the Trenton defenceman or a bad non-call by the referees, in any event the Dukes were still lagging the Golden Hawks by a goal.

Moments later Zander Latreille was awarded a penalty shot—the result of an infraction in a scrum before the Trenton net. From the face-off dot, Latreille swooped right then to the net. Deked. But Fraser got a piece of the puck with his toe.

With just over two minutes remaining in the game, Trenton was penalized for a high stick. The Dukes with the man advantage pulled the goalie. And while the Golden Hawks wilted, they did not break. Then a Dukes penalty with 30 seconds remaining.

The Trenton faithful went home content with the win but knowing this rivalry has just begun.

UP NEXT: LINDSAY, TORONTO, COBOURG
The Dukes are on the road this weekend for three games in four nights. After a strong start—including a game-two victory over Trenton—the Muskies have drifted lower in the SouthEast conference. They are currently ninth of 11 teams. Lindsay has lost its last six games—managing just six goals in this stretch. The Dukes take on the Muskies on Friday night in Lindsay.

On Saturday the Dukes head to the bowels of the GTA to take on the Toronto Patriots. Not so long ago the Toronto Patriots played in the sleek Mastercard Centre near the Lakeshore in Etobicoke. Now they play among the warehouses that serve Pearson airport. Currently, the Patriots are nestled just below the Dukes in the SE conference standings.

The Patriots are a competitive lot—keeping most games within reach. Save one. On October 7 the Dukes handed Toronto their worst loss of the season, by a wide margin. 11-3. The Patriots will be seeking to avenge that embarrassment on Saturday.

Cobourg sits just above the Dukes in the conference with five more points and three more wins. George Krotiris, Andy Reist and Mercer Kallaway account for the bulk of this scoring on this defensive- oriented team. The Dukes travel to Cobourg on Monday night for the first of five games against the Cougars this season.

Corbin Roach (8) looks for the rebound with Jake Vreugdenhil poised for the pass.