Adrenaline kids

The Dukes win three of four matches last week

The Wellington Dukes carried a onegoal lead into the second period on Monday night in Cobourg. A pretty creation that began with Ben Woodhouse handily carrying the puck into the Cougars zone, swinging to the left wing. Drop pass to Jacob Vreugdenhil. Slick move around the defenceman. Drop pass to Jacob Breckles. Hard slap shot. The Cobourg netminder was able to touch the puck as it sailed past. Not enough. The Dukes had the early lead.

In the second period, the Dukes humbled the Cougars while on the penalty kill. Wolverine-like forechecking. Coming up with the puck. Then playing keep-away all over the ice surface. About 30 seconds into the penalty, Jerome Dupont’s head exploded. The Cougars’ head coach implored his squad to go out and punish the Dukes physically. For the remainder of the period the Dukes spent time dodging single-purpose missiles.

Then, a Dukes penalty. It is not as though the Dukes’ defenceman wasn’t guilty of the tripping infraction, more like there were a handful of incidents just as penalty-worthy in the previous three minutes, uncalled. The inconsistency is surely confusing for these young players. At this speed. The Dukes managed to kill the penalty—but couldn’t truly regroup before Cobourg had tied the game on a scramble in front of Matt Dunsmoor.

Then, midway through the third something truly spectacular transpired. The Cougars came back out in the third with the idea they would pound the Dukes into submission. Dawson Ellis attempted to carry the puck into the Cougars zone along the right wing. At the blueline, he chipped the puck ahead, just as the Cobourg forward hit him like a freight train from the side, sending the tough forward over the boards into the Cougar bench. Much hooting and celebrating. Meanwhile his linemates were moving the puck around the Cobourg zone. Back on his feet. Ellis took a pass in the high slot. A second freight train. Flat on the ice. More hooting. But he was on his feet in a flash. And the Dukes still had the puck. Ellis headed to the net. Nifty pass from Ben Addison. Ellis released a hard wrister. Top corner. The game winner. Sweetest revenge.

The Dukes came home with a well-earned 2-1 road win.

DUKES 4 – TRENTON 3 2OT
The risk is these young men become accustomed to the adrenaline rush. That feeling when they dig themselves into a hole and then feverishly tear back to win the game. The thrill of stealing a W from the jaws of defeat. In a couple of games already in this short season, the Dukes have spotted their opponents a three-goal lead, only to charge back and win both in overtime.

While extraordinarily exciting, it isn’t the sort of pattern upon which championship seasons are built.

Ryan Smith made an instant impression in Wellington on Sunday. It was the first Dukes game for the 20-year-old from Tamworth. For the past couple of seasons Smith had toiled in the Q (QMJHL –Quebec major junior) and the O (OHL) skating with Chicoutimi and Niagara, respectively.

Centring a line with Daniel Panetta and Dawson Ellis, Smith fit right in with the Brothers Grit—mucking it up in the corners and winning a ton of face-offs. He saved his heroics, however, until double overtime.

After a scoreless first period, the Dukes had allowed three unanswered Trenton goals. The goodly sized contingent of Golden Hawk fans celebrated their team’s success. In Wellington. But late in the second, Ben Woodhouse redirected a Jacob Vreugdenhil shot through Trenton’s netminder’s feet. Anand Oberoi is a big netminder, but Woodhouse’s goal demonstrated that he is vulnerable to ice level shots, when not in a butterfly position. The Dukes tucked this detail away.

Jake Gagnon tallied early in the third, edging the Dukes to within a goal of tying the game.

Then late in the period, the Dukes were on the power play. Wellington was ready to pull netminder Matt Keeley in favour of an extra attacker when Frank Vitucci teed up Quinn Hanna’s onetimer. Hanna’s shot rocketed into the net. The game was tied.

In overtime, both teams were cautious. The Golden Hawks earned another penalty. Yet, the Dukes played conservatively, refusing to get caught pinching. Second overtime reduced the skaters to three aside.

After winning two offensive zone face-offs in a row, Smith settled in for a third. But rather than pulling it back to his defencemen, on this occasion, he kicked it forward. Toward the net. The Trenton centre was caught off guard and out of position. Smith emerged from the scrum with the puck. He swept it along the ice. Through Oberoi’s feet.

The Dukes celebrated another come-from-behind thriller. Golden Hawk fans sat not believing their eyes.

DUKES 3 – AURORA 2 OT
The Dukes were in Buffalo earlier in the week, taking part in the annual Governors’ Showcase tournament. On Tuesday, they allowed Aurora to take a 2-1 lead to the final second of the game. Dawson Ellis scored at the 19.59 point of the third period to tie the game. It took just 34 seconds of overtime for Ben Addison to convert a Ben Woodhouse pass, giving the Dukes the overtime win.

BURLINGTON 7 – DUKES 3
It was a tougher story on Wednesday in Buffalo as the Dukes faced the until-then-undefeated Burlington Cougars. Things started well enough. After one period the Dukes outshot the Cougars, but only had a 2-2 tie to show for their efforts. The second proved a poor period. Three unanswered goals. Matt Keeley replaced Matt Dunsmoor after 40 minutes. The Dukes mounted a pushback in the third. Frank Vitucci scored to narrow the Cougar lead. But a Burlington power play goal soured the comeback. An empty-net marker sealed the loss.

UP NEXT: COLLINGWOOD AND BRANTFORD
On Friday, the Dukes welcome the brand new Collingwood Colts (the relocated Kingston Voyageurs). The Colts are off to a decent start, winning five of their first nine games. The Colts have struggled with consistency, trading wins with both Markham and Stouffville in this young season.

On Sunday the Dukes head across the 401 to face the Brantford 99ers in the Wayne Gretzky Arena. Brantford has three wins in just five games (the lightest September workload in the OJHL). Kyle Boolers in the team’s most potent weapon, averaging more than a goal per game.