Break

Morrow impresses on a big stage while the Dukes set the stage for a race to the top

The Wellington Dukes head home for the holiday break today with some lingering question marks, but are surely pleased with their performance through 34 games. The team ends the calendar year in the top half of the South/East conference and is poised to move higher.

Ethan Morrow proved he is among the elite netminders in the world, backstopping Team Canada East to a Silver medal finish in the World Junior A Challenge in Cornwall. The squad fell to a robust US team in the final game on Sunday, but Morrow kept the promise of a comeback alive until the last minutes—turning away dozens of high-quality scoring chances.

Matheson Mason led a potential comeback in the second period—cutting the US lead to 2-1. Improbably, Canada East tied the game a few minutes later. But then two quick US goals. An empty-netter late in the third sealed the American victory.

Cornwall is still buzzing about Ethan Morrow’s performance.

Back home, the Dukes allowed a suddenly surging Lindsay Muskies to outwork them in Wellington, taking a 2-1 loss on a nationally televised game on Saturday. Edward Moskowitz finished a perfect pass from Lucas Lapalm early in the game to give the Dukes the lead. That should have been the catalyst for more. Instead, the Lindsay checkers grew closer; the Dukes’ feet grew sluggish.

The Muskies scored on the power play in the second. A wake-up call? It went unanswered. Back and forth, both teams skated. Muskies’ netminder Yacine Chemrouk was good—but not as good as the outside scoring chances flattered him. The Dukes appeared to be patient, to wait for their structure and skill to be enough. But in the third, a defensive breakdown led to a Lindsay odd-man rush. Goal.

Sometimes, patience isn’t the virtue it’s cracked up to be.

On Sunday, the Dukes headed over the bridge to Trenton. Creo Solomon set the tone early in this game, laying out his body to block shot after shot. The Golden Hawks comprise some big galoots carrying some heavy lumber. Solomon made sure their fire didn’t reach the Dukes’ net.

Then very late in the first period, Dukes defenceman Ethan Sullivan floated a wrister on net. The Trenton netminder mishandled the shot, and Wellington had the lead. Sullivan had his first goal of the season.

An awkward line change early in the second created an odd-man rush for the Golden Hawks. They tied the game on Adam O’Marra’s goal. Both teams traded chances for the remainder of the game, but it required overtime to settle the matter.

The Golden Hawks rang the goalpost early in the overtime frame, but it was the Dukes’ Ryan Smith—set up, in the high slot, with time—who buried a hard wrister top corner. Like smooth jazz. Game winner.

The win propelled the Dukes into third spot in the South/East Conference. They are tied with Trenton, but own a better winning percentage as of Monday this week. The Dukes played Markham on Tuesday after press time.

When they return in January, the Dukes will have 19 games remaining in the regular season schedule, ten at home. They will kick the new year off on Friday, January 6, in Wellington as they welcome the Toronto Junior Canadiens.