Spirited away
The Dukes bow out in four straight games Another season comes to an end. Four games and out. The Dukes had made a game of it in Stouffville on Thursday. A goalpost. A blown call. What might have been? Instead, the Dukes came home with a double-overtime loss. The team was down three games to […]
Sad
Dukes fail to score in first two games of the playoffs Wellington fans didn’t deserve this. Dukes’ players didn’t deserve this. I dare say the team’s GM and coach didn’t deserve this. But this may be the last Dukes’ game story before the season comes to a sad and disappointing end. The Dukes failed to […]
To the playoffs
Dukes finish season on an upswing The Dukes are headed to the playoffs. Again. Every year since Garry Lavender, Hugh Parliament and others brought the team to Wellington over 35 years ago, Wellington has played its way into the postseason. It is a remarkable achievement. Starting this weekend, the Dukes will face the Stouffville Spirit […]
Solid showing
Dukes come up short in battle against Trenton The rink was packed—an odd mix of OJHL fans, Drake Barnburner participants and early voters. All available parking was consumed, and cars were strewn liberally throughout the wider neighbourhood. On the ice, the atmosphere was heavy. The Dukes had lost their fifth straight game on Friday night. […]
Forgettable
Dukes drop three games in a late-season swoon Perhaps the best thing to happen to the Dukes over the past week was a snowstorm. The threat of blizzards postponed the scheduled match in Aurora on Saturday. Otherwise it was a dismal few days in Dukesland. MILTON 8 – DUKES 3 Milton pummelled the Dukes on […]
Sideways
Dukes are hot and cold early in February The Dukes appear to be crabwalking toward the end of the regular season. With their ticket punched to the postseason and hobbled by a succession of injuries, Wellington gave away two of three games last week. Even in winning, the Dukes are being forced to fight from […]
Reaching deep
Dukes grinding through last month of the regular season It’s a long season. Fifty-six games. By early February, the bulk (45) of the games have been played, and the table is mostly set. There are still 11 games remaining on the Wellington Dukes’ schedule. They are in fourth spot in the East Conference. They might […]
Rolling
Dukes win three in six days STORY AND PHOTOS: KEVIN SCANLON What a hectic week that was! The Dukes played four games in six days, winning three and losing one to keep a firm hold on fourth place in the OJHL’s East Division. As if that wasn’t great enough, the cherry on the cupcake was […]
Split
Dukes eke out a win and a loss Story and photo: Kevin Scanlon Tough to say what makes a good team play below its proven level of excellence. But there were excuses galore last week. Maybe the Dukes were having trouble getting used to new teammates after the previous week’s trade deadline. Maybe it was […]
Aftershock
Dukes lay an egg in Stouffville Call it an untested new chemistry— or a transfusion that produced unexpected dizziness and confusion. Whatever it was, it resulted in the Dukes’ worst loss of the season on Saturday night in Stouffville. NEW FACES When the trading deadline buzzer sounded on Friday night the Dukes had traded away […]