Bad omen

Dukes forward Nik Coric and the Lindsay netminder react as Austin Broadhurst’s shot sails wide of the net. But Broadhurst knows this rink. The puck bounced off the boards right onto Luc Brown’s stick (far right). Brown deposited the puck into the wide open net—tying the game 3-3. Brown would go on to score the shootout winner.

Dukes wind down the regular season

There are no lifelines left. The Dukes must win each of their last two games (the outcome of Tuesday’s make-up game against Cobourg wasn’t determined by press time) to extend their remarkable string of seasons with 30 or more wins.

It is certain now the Dukes will face Kingston in the first round. Even though the Dukes could still catch the sliding Newmarket Hurricanes in the points standings—Newmarket would secure the edge over Wellington by virtue of more wins in regulation time.

All that needs to be sorted out now is the playoff schedule.

KINGSTON 5 – DUKES 1
If Friday’s game was a precursor of things to come, the post season could be a short one for the Dukes.

Seconds into the game, Kingston was assessed a minor penalty and the Dukes had an early power play—a chance to get the jump on the red hot Voyageurs. But nothing was accomplished. Barely a shot on net.

A bit later the Dukes put together a promising rush into the Voyageurs zone— but when the play broke down—three Wellington players were trapped deep. Kingston skated the other way and scored. It was just the Vees’ third shot on net.

A couple minutes later Dukes sniper Erick Delaurentis was sent to the penalty box for slashing. Kingston scored on the power play.

Dukes Captain Jan Kaminisky turned up the heat. His line with Spencer Turcotte and Jake Marchment has been contributing well at both ends of the rink since Christmas. Kaminsky dodged and weaved down his wing and fired a hard shot from a tough angle that found a seam on the short side.

Before the period was done, however, Kingston scored again. They were down 3-1 but they had two more periods to turn the game around.

Midway through the second and the Dukes were having difficulty getting through the neutral zone. Kingston’s Junior Harris was penalized for roughing. The Kingston Coach Colin Birkas offered a vile opinion of the penalty to the referee and was tossed from the game with a Travesty of the Game violation.

But rather than take advantage of their good fortune the Dukes were lulled into taking bad penalties. First Cam Nicoll. The Erick Delaurentis. The Dukes managed to kill the first penalty—but not the second. The Vees had a 4-1 lead going into the third.

Captain Jan Kaminsky scored the Dukes’ lone goal against Kingston on Friday night.

The Dukes had to kill another minor penalty to start the period. The Dukes put together another good rush and rang the puck off the post. Kingston scooped up the loose puck, skated up ice and beat Hayden Lavigne for the fifth and final time in the game.

The Dukes outshot Kingston in the game but the scoreboard showed a lopsided 5-1 Vees victory.

DUKES 4 – LINDSAY 3
With the loss to Kingston the Dukes had lost the only game they could afford to lose and still achieve the 30-win franchise milestone.

The Dukes came out with force—clanging the puck off two goal posts in the opening seconds. Then Craig Campbell jumped on the ice onto an open wing. He found a loose puck and patiently waited for his opening before firing the puck into the net.

Once again the Dukes ran into penalty trouble, taking back-to-back minors midway through the first period. Lindsay scored on the second power play, tying the game at one goal apiece.

A moment later a Dukes rush collapsed in the Muskies end. Lindsay came back down the ice and scored.

With 15 seconds left in the period, and the Dukes killing a penalty, Jake Hetherington fed Craig Campbell a slick lead pass up the middle that allowed the Dukes’ leading scorer to break in on net alone. A couple of moves and Campbell buried the backhander to tie the game again.

Lindsay scored early in the second period, restoring the Muskie lead. Before the period was over—Austin Broadhust fired a shot from the point that sailed wide past the net, emerging on the other side where rookie Luc Brown was waiting. With the patience of a veteran Brown settled the puck, picked his spot and fired. The game was tied again. It would remain so through the third and the overtime period.

In the shootout both Dukes shooters Mike Soucier and Luc Brown scored. Neither of Lindsay’s snipers could solve Matt Larose.

The Dukes had their 28th win.

UP NEXT: WHITBY
The Dukes welcome the Fury to Wellington on Friday. It will be the Dukes’ final game of the regular season. Whitby will be working hard to stay ahead of Newmarket and maintain its home ice advantage in the first round.

The Dukes, if successful against Cobourg on Tuesday night, will be focused on securing the team’s 30th win.