Dukes ready

Andrew Pearson stood tall in the Dukes net on Friday, going the distance in the Dukes’ 4-1 win. Jake Marchment (foreground) was a force all over the ice—chipping in a goal and sending a clear message that his team wasn’t going to be pushed off the puck.

Ill temper on the ice leads to fisticuffs in stands

The Wellington Dukes finish off their preseason schedule this weekend with four games at the Woodchuck Classic in Vermont, facing off against squads from Boston and Foxboro, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New Jersey.

Despite a very young and still fluid lineup, the Dukes have mounted an impressive record in the preseason—winning three of four against the Kingston Voyageurs. For Tuesday’s late result in Cobourg go to the Times website at wellingtontimes. ca.

SPEED OVER THUGGERY
On Friday night, swarthy veteran Guillaume Naud rejoined the Dukes from Europe, instantly making an impact. He scored a shorthanded goal and earned an assist in the Dukes’ 4-1 win over the Voyageurs in Wellington.

Sixteen-year-old Luc Brown tallied early, winning the foot race to the loose puck in the Kingston end. Streaking in, Brown scooped up the puck and appeared to be aiming to tuck the puck on the far side with his backhand. But, as netminder Charlie Finn bit on the deception, Brown shifted the puck to his forehand and flung it high on the short side.

“It was a great start,” said Captain Jan Kaminsky, commenting on Brown’s beauty, “to have one of our young guys show their number one goaltender how it’s done.”

Kaminsky widened the lead in the second— drilling a wrister off the inside of the near goalpost and into the net. Jake Marchment scored on a bullet that flew through the Kingston netminder. After the Vees mounted some sustained pressure in the third, Adrian Shug spoiled Andrew Pearson’s shutout attempt. Moments later Craig Campbell gained the Vees’ blueline on the penalty kill. He faked a shot into the corner and fired a laser cross ice onto Naud’s stick; his one-timer sailed unimpeded into the net to seal the win.

The game was plagued with a series of fights, with heated emotions flowing into the stands after the game. Royal Canadian Legion President Buck Buchanan was called upon to separate battling fans wrestling near the glass overlooking the Kingston bench at the end of the game.

Captain Jan Kaminsky left the ice with a cut near his left eye late in the game on Saturday, but not before he scored, and assisted on a second goal. A few stitches was all that was needed to mend the rugged forward.

It was clear from the outset that the Voyageurs— losers in two previous matches against the Dukes— would try to outmuscle and intimidate the Dukes’ skilled young forwards on Friday night. It seemed at every whistle a Vees player hacked at the legs of each Dukes player they passed.

Weary of being the focus of many of the cheap and relentless shots, Dukes forward Mike Soucier reared up against his much larger, older opponent. The referees were slow to intervene, causing many Dukes fans to recoil in disgust.

Before the game was over the refs handed out more than 44 minutes in fighting majors—more fighting penalties in one game than in some Dukes seasons.

“We had to show that we weren’t going to be pushed around,” said Kaminsky. “We had to send a message that we can play anyway they want and still win.”

In the stands the combatants dispersed before the police arrived.

The captain had a scare late in the game as a careless Voyageur stick nicked him near his eye.

“I was worried for few seconds that I had lost my eye,” said Kaminsky. “I got three stitches. It hurt at the time but it’s starting to feel better. It is looking kind of black and blue right now.”

VEES EKE OUT A WIN
On Sunday the Dukes travelled to Kingston for their fourth and final match with the Vees in the preseason.

While the Dukes were taking one last look at some young prospects before making some cuts, the Voyageurs skated their regular season lineup, eager to salvage at least one win in exhibition. Still it wasn’t an easy task.

Kingston opened up a one-goal lead in the first but the Dukes soon tied up the score. The Vees tallied twice in the second frame to widen their lead 3-1.

Dukes forward Abbott Girduckis scored from Kyle Paat on the power play early in the third, narrowing the lead to a goal.

“We pulled the goalie and it went the wrong way,” said Kaminsky. “It was game in which some of our younger guys were put into some roles they haven’t seen yet. We had the leadership on the ice with Gui (Naud) but Kingston had their regular season lineup arrayed against our guys. It was a competitive game—and we were within a goal late in the game. We showed up ready to play.”

OFF TO THE WOODCHUCK
The Dukes face off against Boston on Thursday night in South Burlington with a game each day for the next four days. The captain explains that the goal of the trip is to spend some time together as a team—and, of course, to win.

“As Marty (Abrams, GM and coach) always says, ‘you don’t learn from losing—you learn from winning.’”

The Dukes will return home on Sunday to prepare for the season opener in Kingston (where else?) on Thursday. The Dukes’ home opener is set for Friday September 14 against the Cobourg Cougars.