Building character

Matt Larose rebounded from a couple of sketchy goals in the second period on Friday—closing the door in the third period to help his team secure a come-from-behind win. He was named the game’s first star in Pickering on Saturday. Alongside Larose, Captain Jan Kaminsky braces to block the shot.

Dukes move up in standings after three-win weekend

It looked bleak for the first half of the game—particularly after Kingston’s Tyler McCarthy’s goal gave the Vees a 4- 1 lead. The Dukes new netminder Matt Larose hadn’t looked sharp on that goal, or the one before. Now the Vees were lobbing shots from anywhere on the ice.

But with just seconds left on the clock in the second period, Josh Finkelstein powered a shot on net that the Kingston netminder kicked to his right. Abbott Girduckis swatted the puck into the net just as the buzzer sounded. The goal counted. The Dukes were back in the game.

Late in the third the line of Brian Bunnett, Erick Delaurentis and Joe McKeown took over— scoring three unanswered goals in a span of three minutes. They couldn’t, wouldn’t be stopped.

The hometown fans were on their feet— shocked and thrilled by their young team’s turnaround in a game that had seemed lost—snatching a win from a team they are chasing in the East Division.

“Throughout that game we never lost hope,” said Dukes Captain Jan Kaminsky. “Even when we were down 4-1 we believed we could come back and win it. We decided to play 60 minutes.

“It was great to see those leaders step up and carry the team in that last period. The momentum we gained on Friday helped carry us through the weekend,” said Kaminsky.

It would turn out to be a very good weekend for the Dukes.

DUKES 4 – PICKERING 1
In Pickering on Saturday the Dukes were pelted by shots from a Panthers team that believed they could outskate Wellington. Matt Larose was sensational in net for the Dukes, turning away 29 shots in the first two periods—keeping his team in the game.

Despite the full court press by Pickering it was the Dukes captain who got on the board first with a nifty goal in the first period. Kyle Paat’s blast from the point found its way through traffic on the power play just seconds into the period.

Pickering drew within a goal of tying the game a couple moments later.

Above left: With his hockey career in ruins a year ago due to a serious car accident, Brian Bunnett has since made remarkable recovery and recently rejoined the Dukes lineup.

Then, as the period grew old, Parker Wood and Craig Campbell were tagged for interference and tripping violations, respectively, on the same play. The Dukes were down two skaters for a full two minutes.

“Matt Larose was outstanding,” said Kaminsky. “He just stood on his head.” The Dukes escaped the period with the 2-1 lead intact. Campbell tallied midway through third to extend the lead and Delaurentis buried the empty netter to finish the scoring.

But it was clear this victory belonged to Larose.

“He made some key saves early in the game that kept us alive,” said Kaminsky. “They had so many opportunities in the first period—he really took the jump out of their step. That gave us the ability to regroup and turn the attack around.”

DUKES 3 – AURORA 2  SO
On Sunday the boys were back on the bus, this time to Cobourg, playing in the Governor’s Showcase tournament against the Aurora Tigers. Last time these teams met, Aurora escaped Wellington with a narrow 5-3 win. The game was sure to be close again.

Craig Campbell scored a pair of goals just over a minute apart—one a highlight reel effort—to give his team the 2-0 lead in the first period.

But then the Dukes saw the game begin to slip away. Before the period was done the Tigers scored to narrow the Dukes’ lead to a goal. Late period goals have hurt the Dukes disproportionately this season—robbing the team of their momentum and handing it to their opposition in the next period.

The Tigers took advantage—hemming the Dukes in—waiting for their chances. The chance came early in the third as Aurora beat Larose in net for his third game in a row. The Dukes’ lead was gone—so was the momentum. Yet the Dukes hung on.

In the shootout Delaurentis beat the Tigers’ netminder, securing his team’s third win in a row.

Bunnet, along with linemates Erick Delaurentis and Joe McKeown (pictured, right) scored three unanswered goals late in the game on Friday to come from behind and beat the visiting Kingston Voyageurs.

“While we still had confidence on our side we were a bit complacent,” said Kaminsky. “ We went out and scored a couple of goals right away and we let that get to our head. Soon Aurora had tied the score and we got our heads back on straight.”

With the three wins the Dukes move up a notch to take third place in the East.

UP NEXT: COBOURG, AURORA AND STOUFFVILLE
On Friday the Dukes welcome the Cougars back to Wellington. The last time Cobourg was here the Dukes almost saw the game slip away before young Brody Morris scored in overtime to steal the win. Cobourg continues to be hampered by injuries and has yet to win a game in regulation time.

Nevertheless the Dukes won’t take this team for granted.

Then the Dukes head out on the road to visit Aurora on Saturday and Stouffville on Sunday.

It will be the second weekend in which the Dukes play three games in three days. It is an important early season test for this young team.

“It isn’t something you get used to,” explained Kaminsky. “It takes a lot out of you at this intensity level, especially a mental toll.

“It is great, however, we are going into this weekend with the confidence that comes from a three-game winning streak. It isn’t cockiness. We know these opponents are tough and we won’t take them for granted.”