Overlooked
Future of OJHL’s top performer remains in limbo It is astonishing that Brayden Stortz does not yet have a scholarship to an NCAA school. Perhaps that changes this week, as OJHL teams assemble in Trenton for a winter showcase tournament before scouts and recruiters from an array of leagues and programs. Stortz is a rare […]
Home again
Dukes searching for positives in a difficult season The Dukes will be happy to be back before a hometown crowd for a pair of games this weekend. They returned to Wellington late on Monday night after dropping a 4-1 decision in Cobourg— the team’s third loss in their last four games. The Dukes will need […]
Down and dirty
Dukes spinning their wheels in new year The story Wellington fans tell themselves is that the 2016-17 Dukes are a decent team in an elite division. Try telling that to the teams in the South Division. As of Sunday, the Dukes had played five of the six GTA teams in the South—and lost every game. […]
Back to the rink
Dukes busy to start the year The Dukes skate back into action this week. It is the time of year new faces tend to show up in the Dukes’ lineup as the league heads toward the January 10 trade deadline. But the enthusiasm for loading up this year is likely muted by the fact that […]
In the pink
Dukes defeat Kingston, but game ends ugly It was supposed to be a night of celebration, of hope and inspiration. Pink in the Rink was an opportunity to celebrate survivors, honour the memories of lost ones and join the fight for more research and better treatment for breast cancer. For most of the night, it […]
Punchless
Dukes muster just three goals in two weekend games. Not enough. Nic Mucci’s absence was felt immediately. The crafty forward was selected to Team Canada East, and by Sunday had already potted a goal at the World Junior A Challenge amid the wild and desolate terrain of northeast Alberta. In fact, Mucci scored the first […]
Swagger refound
Well-rested Dukes prepare for Newmarket and Toronto Patriots In the end, the Pickering Panthers were the tonic the Wellington Dukes needed to allow a swagger to return to their step. But it took a period and a bit before that was at all clear. That, and an improved power play. The Dukes were in charge […]
Closing the gap
Dukes must find a way to convert strong performances into wins It was over in a few seconds. Thirty minutes of hard work and tenacity erased in 36 seconds. The Wellington Dukes had played well. Better than that, they had dominated the visiting Golden Hawks at home through the first period—at one point outshooting the […]
Unexplainable
Dukes win one, lose one and lose another they should have won Some games are simply inexplicable— where the final score bears little resemblance to the contest you just witnessed. Sunday’s game between Wellington and Whitby was just such an oddity. The Dukes lost the game 6-3. But by nearly every other measure, the Dukes […]
In tough
On the back of a disappointing losing skid, Dukes face three tough opponents this week It was a tough game to lose. A game that got away from the Dukes. A loss that defies easy explanation. The Wellington Dukes were up by a pair of goals by Nic Mucci. Mitch Mendonca had assisted in both. […]