Building character
Bit by bit There were some prettier goals in Wellington’s drubbing of Lindsay on Sunday. Eric Uba finishing a brilliant passing play from Geoff Lawson and Graeme McCrory was one. Or Andrew Rinaldi, literally throwing himself into position to lift the puck short side before crashing painfully into the boards, knocking both the wind and […]
Winning record
Dukes make moves to shore up defence The Wellington Dukes arrived home late on Sunday night, having won two of three games in three nights— each one on the road. A good road trip. It might have been otherwise. The Dukes might have come home with six points, or perhaps none. Such is the knife’s […]
Revealing
Dukes must find an answer to the fast break The Wellington Dukes are putting an exciting brand of hockey on the ice this season. Employing a run-andgun style at breakneck speed, the Dukes are racking up wins—enough to put them at the top of the OJHL East Division standings. Like past Dukes teams, these young […]
Wild and woolly
Three wins, three adventures He has been in Wellington for a couple of weeks now, but as of Friday, Ben Evans’ name hadn’t yet been sewn onto his jersey. Wellington Dukes fans, however, already know the young man from Thorold who wears number 14. Specifically, they know the powerful impact he is already having on […]
Bad boys
Once a hallmark of the Dukes, discipline is slipping away. With it go games that should be won Dukes forward Mitchell Mendonca has amazing offensive skills. He is lightning quick and sees the ice better than most at the Junior A level. He knows where the opportunities are going to arise and knows when to […]
The young and reckless
Dukes battle through mistakes on way to five-game winning streak They’re young. Most Dukes players on the current roster were born in this millennium. They play young. Reckless. Easily confused. Still saddled by the bad habits learned in minor hockey. Yet here they are. Sitting atop the East Division with a widening chasm between them […]
Homeward bound
Dukes return to Wellington in first place in the East The Wellington Dukes return this week from a long month on the road. And when they skate onto the Wellington ice on Friday night, they will do so with the best record in the East Division of the OJHL. Most points. Best winning percentage. They […]
Keeping it close
Long road trip continues with four games this week Taking the long way around. In four regular-season games, so far, the Wellington Dukes have managed only once to finish in the allotted three periods. The three others games required five periods to settle the outcome. Sadly, two of those overtime games, including the home opener […]
Home opener
Dukes host a tailgate party to kickstart a new season It’s a brand new season for the Wellington Dukes. A mostly new team. A new head coach. New general manager and management team. They all have big ambitions. Not just for this season. They want to host the national championship—the RBC Cup— in Wellington in […]
Getting there
Dukes slip, barely visible, into a new season While the OJHL season gets under way on Friday night, and the Dukes see action on Saturday in Burlington, Wellington fans must wait a full 10 days—until September 15—to see the 2017-18 squad for the first time in the regular season at home. Then the team heads […]