Discipline wins

Dukes overwhelm excitable Upper Canada youngsters in game one

Joe Zarbo scored once and earned four assists helping his team romp over the Upper Canada Patriots on Sunday.

The Dukes have so far managed to quell notions of rebellion by Upper Canada in its first round playoff series against the Patriots. Wellington dominated the opening game on Sunday, pounding the Patriots 9-0 at home.

While the Dukes were solid, it was Upper Canada that let the game slip away from them. In fact, unless the Upper Canada Patriots are able to muster some self-discipline in the next few days, the series may be a short one.

Five of Wellington’s nine goals on Sunday were scored while the Dukes were on the power play; two more scored just seconds after a power play had elapsed.

Jordan Ruby was rock solid when called upon and the Dukes defence stood strong.

As David Brown reported last week, Upper Canada is a young team, with just one 20 year old and, 12 players aged 17. The team’s youth was on full display on Sunday. Fast, energetic and astonishingly short-fused. The team racked up a total of 44 penalty minutes and managed just 24 shots on Jordan Ruby.

Upper Canada is a vastly improved club over last year’s team. Perhaps beating Lindsay was enough for this young team. Taking a few swats at the South/East Conference champion is all that is left before they bow out. Already the team’s website is advertising its prospects camp in April. It is already in preparation for next year.

Zach Blake scored the most impressive goal of the night, hammering a slap shot in flight from just inside the blueline. All the Patriot netminder could do was wave as the puck whistled by.

Or perhaps this is a bit of rope-a-dope. Perhaps it is all an act and they are trying to lull the Dukes into complacency. The answer should be clearer on Wednesday night.

HOW IT PLAYED OUT

On Sunday the Dukes spent the early part of the first period sizing up their opponent, skating up and down the ice with them, neither pushing too hard in the Patriots’ end nor allowing the play to advance off the boards in the Dukes’ end.

But then Upper Canada’s defenceman Dylan Carter was sent to the box on an interference call. On the ensuing power play the Dukes moved the puck around the zone with speed. methodically finding passing lanes. Joe Zarbo pushed a pass cross-crease to a waiting Steve Evans, who swatted home the Dukes’ first goal.

Before the first period was done, Evans delivered a cross-ice pass onto the stick of Zach Blake as he crossed the blueline. The veteran forward powered a slap shot into the far corner of the net, giving his team two-goal lead. In the second period, first Brian Bunnett and then Darcy Greenaway redirected Darcy Murphy passes past the Patriot netminder Joseph Pianta. As the Dukes’ score climbed, so did their opponent’s frustration.

Brian Bunnett drove hard the net on Sunday but then had to fend off three Upper Canada players taking turns socking him in the head. For their sins the Patriots received a two-minute minor penalty.

Late in the period, Bunnett cut hard to the net with a Patriot defender hard on his tail. Pianta managed to stop the puck and Bunnett. Three Upper Canada players leaped on the prone Dukes winger, alternating blows to the head. When it was all sorted out, the Dukes had another power play. They still had the man advantage in the third period as Joe Zarbo tapped home a Steve Evans setup. The Patriots were unravelling. Seconds later, Upper Canada was penalized again, this time a kneeing call. Sean Rudy scored. Four minutes later another Patriot penalty, another Dukes goal; this time by Darcy Murphy.

Murphy scored another even-strength goal seven minutes later.

Then, with the penalty box full of spearing offenders, Simon Bessette added one more goal, underlining the futility of the Patriots’ tactics.

To view an online schedule of upcoming playoff games, visit www.wellingtondukes.com.