Strong finish

Longest winning streak of the season brings 2025 to a close

Dukes fans might have been hoping for two or three wins from their final four games of 2025; it is unlikely that many, outside the Wellington dressing room, imagined the team sweeping all four. Yet that is how the Wellington Dukes head into the holiday break. On the back of five straight victories, the Dukes moved up a few notches in the East Conference, into fifth spot, just two points behind Pickering and Newmarket. As the year draws to a close, Wellington is just six points back of Trenton, perched in second place.

After an up-and-down fall, the Dukes seem to have found their stride in December.

WELLINGTON 6 – NORTH YORK 0
This game was expected to be a blowout. The North York Rangers had won just two games coming into this match. But one of those wins had come at the cost of the Dukes in October. Since then, the Dukes have done much to shore up their team defence, while North York has continued to flounder at the bottom of the OJHL standings.

Nevertheless, the game was pretty much as might have been predicted. A close-enough game in the first period during which Landon Marleau had given the Dukes a one-goal lead. A similar story in the second period. The Rangers stayed close, but Will Mitchell added another for Wellington.

Early in the third, Marleau scored his second of the game—his 12th of the season. That goal opened the floodgates. There was barely enough time for the referees to drop the puck at centre ice before Zach Carrrier hit Zach Mascard with a pass. Across to Vince Albanese. Goal. Four seconds after Marleau’s score.

By then, the Rangers had lost the will to carry on. Two more Dukes goals: from Evan Erwin and another by Albanese. The 4:30 game was done by 6:35. Back in Wellington in time for dinner.

WELLINGTON 3 – ST. MIKES 2
Landon Marleau is proving to be a particularly astute pick-up by the Dukes out of the BCHL. Since arriving in Wellington mid-November, Marleau has accumulated 24 points in 21 games—including 15 goals. The forward put his team on his back on Tuesday night at St. Mikes.

The Buzzers are a good team, with a strong pedigree. But they, like the Dukes, have been up and down this season. They remain a difficult team. Coming into this game, the Buzzers had won four of their last five—including defeating Trenton.

It was going to be a tough slog. And it was. Early in the second, St. Mikes scored its second goal of the game. But 30 seconds later, Evan Erwin fed Marleau. The Dukes were on the board and in the game.

Both teams locked down defensively through the remainder of the second and well into the third. But then a Buzzer’s penalty. Vince Albanese scored his eighth of the season to tie the game at 2-2.

Midway through the first overtime period, Marleau found some time and space. He buried his shot. The Dukes had never led in this game—until victory was in hand.

WELLINGTON 3 – NEWMARKET 2
This game was the real test of the week. The Hurricanes are a top-three squad in the East. The team, remnants of the Toronto Junior Canadiens, is experienced, big and strong.

So it was a battle. Hard fought, often vicious, combat. In fact, of the five goals scored in the game in Wellington on Friday night, just one was scored while the teams were even strength.

Your occasional correspondent, Kevin Scanlon, observed that the three stars of this game on Friday ought properly to have gone to the penalty killers. The Dukes were assessed seventeen minutes in penalties— giving up a pair of goals. Meanwhile, Newmarket took 13 minutes in penalties—also giving up a pair. The Dukes’ penalty killers were the difference in this game.

Sacha Trudel scored a power play goal in the last minute of the first period, giving the Dukes the lead at the end of a closely fought period. But Newmarket’s Simon Wang scored at the end of Hurricane power play—one it seemed the Dukes might dodge.

Zach Carrier found a lane and restored the Dukes’ lead 13 seconds later. Before the period was done, Trudel, who had been cheek-by-jowl with the Hurricane defence all night, retaliated with a stick to his opponent’s groin. A four-minute penalty.

Once again, it seemed the Dukes would weather the storm. But the Hurricanes scored with seven seconds remaining in the double minor.

Early in the third, Newmarket’s leading scorer was assessed a five-minute major after nearly removing Kyle Grasby’s head. Blueliner Cole Ellis lofted a puck through traffic that beat the Newmarket netminder. The Hurricanes challenged the goal, but a video review confirmed the Dukes’ goal. The Dukes had once again restored a onegoal lead. And Newmarket was assessed a delay-of-game penalty.

Midway through the final period, the heat was turned way up. The upshot was that Zach Carrier was assessed a five-minute major for charging. Trudel joined in and got an extra two minutes for roughing.

For two long minutes, clinging to a single-goal lead, the Dukes fought off the Newmarket twoman advantage. Again and again, the Dukes’ defenders came up with the puck and fired it down the ice.

Again and again, Colby Booth Housego closed the door on the Newmarket offence. The Dukes’ netminder survived 47 shots—allowing just two goals.

This, indeed, was a game won by the penalty killers.

WELLINGTON 10 – COBOURG 2
Sadly, this was a damp squib of a game to end the calendar year. The Cobourg Cougars hadn’t won a game in over a month. There has been ongoing turmoil in the lineup and organization. Yet, it isn’t much fun, swamping an opponent by eight goals. It seemed the Dukes could and did score at will. Wellington had mounted an 8-0 lead before Cobourg got on the board. Twenty seconds later, the Dukes scored again.

This was a game to pad the stats. Leading the parade, Sammy Longo had a pair of goals and two assists. Will Mitchell earned three assists. Liam Campbell, Zach Carrier and Tristan Williams each notched a pair of goals.

UP NEXT: CHRISTMAS BREAK
The Dukes return to action in the new year on January 3 when they face the Tigers in Aurora. On Wednesday, January 7, the Dukes face the mighty Milton Menace in a 1:30 matinee game. On Friday, January 9, Wellington visits Trenton. And two days later, on Sunday,, the Dukes head to Markham to face the Royals.