Restraint
Dukes regain winning ways Bit by bit, the Wellington Dukes are assembling a winning record. They are doing this by returning to the fundamentals of Dukes’ hockey—speed, tenacity and discipline. It is the same formula that has propelled this hockey team to the national championships twice in a decade and earned the team a […]
Frail conquest
Dukes escape with a victory It was a win. It is always preferable to begin with the positive. And a win is always better than the alternative—particularly when it staunches a three-game losing skid. But Dukes fans will be forgiven for feeling bit uneasy about their team’s 5-3 win over the Whitby Fury on Friday […]
Stuck
Two-game skid grounds Dukes in nowhereland The Dukes fell back last week—back to .500—10 wins, 10 losses in 20 games. It might just be that kind of season. Some good nights, some bad. After all, this is a young team—with both the benefits and challenges that come with youth. Or it might just be some bad […]
Shut out
Young netminder gives Dukes a winning record The Wellington Dukes escaped the gravitational pull of .500 hockey on the weekend, winning just their second game at home. The Dukes soundly handled the Lindsay Muskies in both ends of a home and away series—begun in Lindsay on Friday with 5-1 win and completed on Sunday with a […]
Friendly fire
Former Duke leads Markham to win over Wellington Marco Azzano and Trevor Abbot combined to score the winning goal against the Wellington Dukes on Sunday. Both once wore a Dukes jersey. Now, they are part of the newly reformed Markham junior team, the Royals. Abbot departed the Dukes in the off-season of 2014, headed for Hidalgo, […]
Powerplay pushovers
Dukes own the league’s worst penalty killing record, have yet to win at home Brodie Maracle had barely taken his seat in the penalty box when Cobourg scored. Nevermind that it was a dubious penalty call. The referees, on Sunday night, seemed weirdly selective in a game in which dozens of stick violations might have been […]
Leader emerges
The Dukes get lift from blockbuster season start by Luc Brown When you meet him, you know instantly that Luc Brown is a singular individual. Smart, strong and patient. A firm, deliberate handshake tells you he is confident and focused. Ready for any challenge. On the ice, the Dukes forward has always looked the hockey prototype— […]
Unforced errors
Mistakes prove costly in loss to St. Mikes After 10 games in this new season, the Wellington Dukes remain a puzzle. They’ve won five games, lost five. No overtime decisions. Five hundred hockey. They deserve better. But this Dukes squad is an unpredictable lot. Winning games they shouldn’t. Losing others they really should have won. Friday […]
Uphill
Dukes struggle to turn speed advantage into wins over slower, bigger teams Mama said there would be days like this. The Wellington Dukes are a fast-skating, exciting team. They are, as a group, also quite a young team. Eager, enthusiastic, hard working. They are fun to watch and their exuberance is infectious. But when the Dukes struggle […]
PK troubles
Power play goals blunt a fast start to the season The Wellington Dukes’ penalty killing has been woeful in the early going of the new season—currently worst in the OJHL. Through four games, opposing teams are scoring a goal for every two opportunities with the man-advantage. In past years, this might have been less of a […]