Wobbly start
September reveals gaps in the Dukes game It is hard to know what to make of the Wellington Dukes at the end of the first month of the regular season. For that matter, it is equally hard to figure the entire OJHL. After 11 games the Dukes have lost as many games as they’ve won, […]
Stiffened
Fortified defence restore Dukes to their winning ways The Wellington Dukes rebounded with a pair of wins in recent days (Tuesday’s result came after press time), coming off three worrying losses a week ago. The wins also marked a return of some defensive structure and poise that had all but vanished during the skid. The […]
Things fall apart
Dukes defensive structure evaporates The Dukes will be going back to the whiteboard this week—moving Xs and Os around until they relearn the basics of playing structured defensive hockey in the OJHL. It’s not like they don’t know this stuff, but rather that they showed little evidence of it this past weekend. So you start […]
Speed kings
The Dukes use all the quickness they can muster to outmanoeuvre their bigger opponents Nothing comes easy. And after the first week of the regular season, the Dukes are sitting on a pair of wins. The outcome of each match, however, might easily have gone the other way. It was that close. In both games, […]
So it begins
Dukes emerge from preseason ranked number 3 in Canada Cobourg deserved a better fate. The Cougars were down 2-1 late in the game against the Wellington Dukes on Friday night, after leading most of the game. Cobourg’s top line were pressing, while the Dukes chased the puck in their own end. Twice the Duke defenders […]
Well done
The Dukes reach the summit, but fail to plant the flag It was magnificent. The Wellington Dukes came within a period of being crowned the very best junior hockey club in the nation—of carrying the RBC Cup high over their heads. It was all so incredible. Implausible. Unimaginable. Nearly perfect. It was a season that began […]
In the thick of it
Dukes beat Steinbach, drop opener to Ottawa The Wellington Dukes began the overtime period with the man advantage. Four on three. For 25 seconds. Wellington had lost game one in the reverse scenario against the Ottawa Junior Senators on Saturday. But on Monday night facing the Steinbach Pistons, representing the West region of the CJHL, […]
Magnificence
Dukes capture Dudley Hewitt Cup, now prepare for national championship Nothing came easy to these Dudley Hewitt Cup Champions. It took seven games to dispatch the pesky Pickering Panthers back in March. Another seven games to down the much-improved Newmarket Hurricanes. It took just five games to defeat the Aurora Tigers— yet those were bruising […]
Champions
Dukes win in overtime to claim the Buckland Cup at home in Wellington He permitted a smile as he clutched the Brett Ladds Trophy. Wellington Dukes Captain Colin Doyle had been all business through the playoffs until then—185 pounds of determination, grit and tenacity. He never relaxed. Never took a shift off. Just focus—intense and […]
Aberration
Dukes drop a dud in Georgetown The Dukes will bounce back. Even as they were being outscored mightily on Tuesday night in Georgetown, it was apparent the Wellington Dukes were the better team. Faster. More agile with the puck. Better passes. Remember too that seven of Georgetown’s eight goals on Tuesday were scored on the […]