East Division Champs

Dukes to face Cobourg in a best-of-three playoff series

Consider the Lindsay Muskies this morning. The Kawartha junior hockey franchise had struggled over the past decade, but not this season. The 2021-22 iteration of the Muskies was a solid team. They beat the Dukes and the Trenton Golden Hawks three times each. They kept games close—rarely letting the score get out of reach.

Yet, they finished with 20 wins and 28 losses for 46 points. This would be good enough for a playoff spot in two other OJHL divisions, including the South. And in other years, that fact would have produced a qualifying game between the fourth-place South Division team (Toronto Patriots) and Lindsay to determine the final playoff spot in that division. But not this year.

So it was that the Muskies understood Sunday’s game was their final outing as a team this season. This much had already been determined. They would be heading home this week in any event. There wasn’t much on the line. Just the opportunity to defeat the Trenton and, in doing so, relegate the much-vaunted Golden Hawks to second place in the East Division. The chance to deliver a dose of humility to a team that has resided in the CJHL Top 20 rankings most of the season.

And the Muskies took this opportunity as a matter of pride. Despite being wildly outshot by the Golden Hawks, Lindsay mounted a 3-0 lead in the third period. A late Trenton goal added to the drama but only that. The game ended with a 3- 1 Lindsay victory.

The Golden Hawk’s loss combined with Wellington’s 3-2 win over Haliburton County earlier on Sunday solidified the Dukes’ capture of the East Division Championship. So a nod to the Lindsay Muskies.

DUKES 2 – TRENTON 3 OT
The Dukes’ claim to the East championship might have been settled on Friday. And to add to the drama, Wellington and Trenton needed overtime to settle their final regular-season game. Despite a shot-differential in favour of the Golden Hawks, this game was a seesaw affair, with both teams creating scoring chances. The first three goals of the game were scored with the man-advantage— Dalton Bancroft for the Golden Hawks, David Campbell and Graham Dickerson for Wellington.

But then Trenton’s Tyler McEachern slid down the right-wing and released a low hard shot, far side. The shot handcuffed Matt Dunsmoor in the Dukes’ net, and the game was tied.

As it often happens in overtime, a Dukes’ scoring chance at one end produced a break for the Golden Hawks. Devin Mauro found a gap between Dunsmoor and his post. And that was it.

The Dukes would need some help to secure the East Championship.

But first, they had to get by Haliburton County—easier said than done.

DUKES 3 – HALIBURTON COUNTY 2
On Sunday afternoon, the Huskies sat a half dozen of their regular players—giving some of their youngsters an opportunity. The outcome of this game would mean nothing to Haliburton County in terms of the standings—but they didn’t play that way.

These Huskies had something to prove. And toppling the mighty Dukes would prove a nifty trophy. But it was the Dukes that struck first, Creo Solomon banking a hard shot off the back wall behind the Huskies netminder, directly to the stick of Ethan Quick poised on the other side of the net. A quick shot, and the Dukes had the lead.

But not long after that, the Huskies beat Dunsmoor to tie the game. Then the killer. Haliburton County scored a short-handed goal. It was looking tough. But there were still two periods remaining.

The Dukes were on the power play in the second period, but struggling to set up in the Huskies’ zone. That is when Jacob Vreugdenhil carried the blueline, deep down the right-wing. Faked a shot. Deked. Then slid a perfect pass onto the stick of Emmet Pierce. Tuck in. Goal. Captain Pierce’s OJHL-leading 44th goal.

It was Jacob Vreugdenhil again in the third, setting up David Campbell for the game-winning goal. That was it. The Dukes had done all they could. Now it was up to the Muskies.

UP NEXT: COBOURG
On paper, the Dukes are the better team. More wins, more goals for, fewer goals against. And more disciplined. The Cougars have accumulated almost double the number of penalty minutes—801 to 401.

But Cobourg is a big strong team and benefits from a strong netminder. And in a three-game playoff series, a hot goaltender can mean all the difference.

Nor have the Dukes romped over the Cougars during the regular season—in eight games, Wellington won four, and Cobourg won four.

In their final five games of the season, the Cougars won three and dropped two, including a 3-2 loss to Trenton in the final game of the season.

Little of this will matter once the puck drops in game one of the three-game playoff series.