Aced it

Dukes pass a big test with wins over St. Mikes and Oakville

Trenton fans are getting nervous. With a pair of key wins over the weekend, the Wellington Dukes now share top spot in the OJHL, in terms of winning percentage. The Golden Hawks, meanwhile, remain a single point ahead of the Dukes in the East Division—but that lead has dwindled as Wellington catches up in terms of games in hand.

As of Monday, Trenton had 79 points with three games remaining in their schedule. The Dukes, meanwhile, had 78 points and five games with which to surpass the Golden Hawks. Wellington’s grasp on the East Division Championship is in its own control.

Perhaps as important as the rise in their ranking, was that the Dukes defeated two of the best teams in the league. Powered by perhaps the most potent offense in the OJHL, St Michael’s is fast and lethal—led by Jonah and Ryan Alexander and Ayrton Martino. Collectively they account for a third of the Buzzer scoring this year. That the Dukes managed to limit this squad to three goals says all you need to know about the Dukes’ netminding and defensive prowess.

Saturday produced perhaps the biggest lift. On the road against the league-leading Oakville Blades, the Dukes trailed by a goal in the third. Then the Dukes turned up the intensity. Quinn Hanna tied the game and scored the winner in overtime—as the Dukes stunned the Blades faithful.

Tonight, the Dukes welcome the Toronto Patriots on a nationally televised game of the week for CHCH-TV. The once-powerful Patriots have only been average of late—winning just five of their last 12 games.

St. Mikes players react in horror and dismay as Dukes’ sniper Frank Vitucci skates away from the scene of the crime. For three minutes prior to Vitucci’s goal, the Buzzers had successfully worked the cycle deep in the Dukes’ end. They believed that Wellington would soon buckle and they would score. Instead, Brett Humberstone retrieved the puck from the cycle, a quick out pass to Frank Vitucci. Down the wing. Snipe. Goal. The Dukes had the lead and didn’t look back.

DUKES 5 – ST. MIKES 2
The game had barely begun when Dukes forward Justin Paul tossed the puck on net. A routine shot—likely looking for a rebound opportunity. Instead, the puck dribbled through the Buzzer netminder’s pads into the net. Wellington took the early lead. That seemed only to intensify St. Mikes’ pursuit. They are a fast team, with an assortment of weapons.

Well into the first period, the Dukes were coming off a successful penalty-kill. But had not yet fully regrouped. The St. Mikes forward skated down the wing, around the Dukes defender, and across the top of Wellington crease, depositing the puck through Matt Dunsmoor’s pads. The game was tied.

The backbreaker, however, came late in the second period. The Dukes had done a great job of keeping the St. Mikes offensive threat to the outside. But it was hard work. The Buzzers were cycling the puck around the back wall behind Dunsmoor. Over and over again. It seemed the Dukes would soon run out of gas. But then Brett Humberstone won the puck, working it free from the cycle on the wall. Quick out to Frank Vitucci. Vittuci streaked down the wing unopposed. Curled around the face-off dot. Fired a wrister. Top corner. On the ropes, the Dukes had bounced back and taken the lead. The entire St. Mikes line skated back to their bench shaking their heads in disbelief.

Then in the third, the Duke opened up the game. Jacob Vreugdenhil forced the turnover in his end and blazed up the wing with Brodie McDougall coming hard through the slot. Smart pass. Goal.

Forty-six seconds later, Vitucci tallied again. The Buzzers were reeling. But not ready to retire. A moment later, the Buzzers Martino scored to edge a bit closer. The Dukes tightened up defensively. Then a Dukes penalty. And a St. Mikes power play goal. With the net empty, Justin Paul shoveled the puck into the neutral zone, where Dylan Massie was already accelerating past the St. Mikes D. Goal.

It was an important test. After four games against lower-ranked teams, it was important to demonstrate the Dukes were ready for prime time.

DUKES 3 – OAKVILLE 2
The game in Oakville was a much bigger test still. The Blades have been perched atop the OJHL standings most of the season. They are strong overall. Good special teams. Solid in net. And sound defensively, allowing the fewest goals in the league.

An added challenge: Oakville plays on a big— Olympic-sized—ice surface. It is a significant home-ice advantage. They had won 12 consecutive games in Oakville. Until the Dukes showed up on Saturday.

For visiting teams, the extra space is disconcerting. The geometry of passing lanes is off. Timing is affected. Checking can miss by a mile.

In any event, the Blades dominated the first period, outshooting Wellington and beating Matt Dunsmoor twice. Plenty of penalties. Both sides. The Dukes netminder earned a roughing minor.

The Dukes adjusted. Recalibrated. They came out in the second period ready to compete. More penalties. On the power play, James White fed Brodie McDougall. Buried. Goal. The Dukes were on the scoreboard. But that momentum was hard to sustain. Both teams settled into a back and forth game.

But in the third Quinn Hanna’s point shot eluded traffic and sailed into the Oakville net. The Dukes had the lead for the first time in the game. With just five minutes left in the game. But more penalties were coming. Oakville tied the game on the power play.

In overtime, more penalties. The Dukes, though, had the man advantage. Four on three. The Dukes moved the puck around smartly. Patiently. Then a lane appeared before Hanna—two strides in from the blueline. He had time and space to find his target. Top corner, far side. The netminder was cheating too far to his side. Wrister. On target. The Dukes won. An improbable victory.

UP NEXT: TORONTO PATRIOTS, TORONTO JR. CANADIENS AND COBOURG
The Patriots are up first as the Dukes’ regular-season end approaches. It is a bit of a later start—8 p.m.—to accommodate the national broadcast.

On Friday, the Dukes welcome the Junior Canadiens, who are skating away with the South Division lead. Toronto has won seven of its last ten. Strong in net. Balanced attack. A workmanlike team. Lunch bucket mindset. Think Lindsay—but more lethal. In September the Dukes edged the Toronto Canadiens 5-4. It seems so long ago.

On Monday. the Dukes swing over to Cobourg for the final regular-season match of the season. In seven previous match-ups, this season the Dukes took six, the Cougars just one game. In no game did Cobourg score more than two goals. Cobourg has just a single win in its last five games.

It will be an interesting week in Dukesland.