Fortitude

Ben Sokay set up go-ahead goals in both Wellington and Aurora—finding Matt Adams who netted the winner on Friday and Dylan Mascarin who put the Dukes up 2-1 in Aurora. The Dukes won that game 3-2.

Dukes take two-game lead in quarterfinal series

Patience is a virtue. We know this to be true. But when time is running out, the game is tied and your opponents are outshooting your team by a wide margin, patience can be a frayed and slippery rope to which we cling.

Yet, with time running out and his team squeezed against the wall, Ben Sokay somehow manages to emerge free with the puck. He fires it cross-ice to winger Matt Adams who is skating in on just a single defender and the Aurora netminder. Adams picks his spot. Fires a wrist shot. Top corner. Blocker side. The crowd is on their feet. Patience has been rewarded. The Dukes win game one.

A great many fans left the Essroc Arena on Friday feeling elated by the win—but sensing the Wellington Dukes had been fortunate. Lucky, even.

I’m not so sure. Patience is the word I would use.

Despite outshooting the Dukes (18 to 4 in the second period alone), Aurora didn’t get many good scoring chances. Most of the shots came from the perimeter or the blueline. Olivier Lafrenière saw most of them. When he can see the shot—he stops them.

The Dukes waited for their opportunities— striking when the Tigers were a bit careless or too aggressive. That didn’t happen often.

Aurora is playing a very close-checking and cautious style in this series.

Dukes’ head coach Marty Abrams says his team is prepared to play whatever style of hockey is required.

“This has been a tight-checking series to date with a lot of shots coming from the outside by both teams,” said Abrams. “When we do break down defensively, Olie [Lafrenière] has been there to make the big save, when necessary.”

Abrams is confident in the Dukes defence corps’ ability to keep Aurora at bay until the Dukes’ chances arise.

“Our defence has been outstanding all year and certainly in the first two games of this series. We have to be patient and wait for our opportunities offensively, and that requires solid defensive play.”

It is a formula that has worked for two games—Dukes fans will find out tonight if it is enough to put them three games up in the playoff series.

Dukes forward Matt Adams set up Tyler Burnie in the first period to open the scoring and then potted his own goal with 38 seconds left in regulation time to win the game.

GAME ONE: DUKES 2 – AURORA 1
Matt Adams and Lafrenière were the stories of game one. Luc Brown, Sokay and Dylan Mascarin’s line had the Tigers pinned in their end early in the game. Sokay was robbed with a hard shot from the near slot bound for the net. Adams, Tyler Burnie and Nic Mucci took over in relief. Mucci and Adams worked the cycle. Adams emerged with the puck, sliding it to Burnie in the middle slot. The 17-year-old scored on the helpless netminder, giving the Dukes the early lead.

Later in the period, Aurora scored on the power play—a shot from the point changed direction and found the bottom corner of the net. It would be 47 minutes before another goal was scored in the game. A chess game. Both teams were careful. Disciplined. Back and forth.

Much of the play in the second period took place in the Dukes’ end—but only a handful of shots could be classified as scoring chances. Lafrenière robbed the Tigers of a few dandies.

Then, with 38 seconds left in regulation time, Sokay found Adams and the game was over. The Tigers were stunned. Dukes fans leapt to their feet. Patience was rewarded.

GAME TWO: DUKES 3 – AURORA 2
In Aurora on Sunday night, it was the Tigers who took the early lead—pulling the puck out of the corner and jamming it between Lafrenière’s feet just a minute into the game. It didn’t change the game plan. The Dukes stayed focused and patient—trusting their netminder and defence.

Late in the first period, the Dukes were working with their second two-man advantage of the game. The Dukes moved the puck around the outside, looking for a lane. Mascarin along the wall, up to Justin Bean at the top of the slot, down to Jacob Panetta, who had slid down to the face-off circle from the blueline. Bean’s pass came right into Panetta’s wheelhouse. His slapshot sailed, unfettered, into the Tigers’ net.

In the second period, Aurora was pressing— on top of the Dukes as soon as they touched the puck. They pressed too hard. Sokay escaped with the puck out of the Dukes’ zone—Mascarin speeding up the opposite wing. Sokay crossed the Tigers’ blueline and feathered a pass to Mascarin. Sniped. The Dukes had the lead.

Early in the third, Chase St. Aubin fought hard along the wall, winning the puck and firing a shot on net. Greg Smith got a couple of whacks at it before it went in the net—extending the Dukes’ lead.

BLINDSIDED
Then came a scary moment midway through the third period. Tyler Burnie was turned, looking to receive a pass at mid-ice when he was levelled by an Aurora defenceman. His helmet, visor and gloves flew off as the big forward collapsed to the ice. He did nothing to stop his fall. He lay motionless on the ice until the trainer and eventually, a couple of his teammates helped him to his feet and off the ice.

Dukes coach Marty Abrams reported that Burnie was still sore the following morning but expected that he would be fine.

A moment after the hit on Burnie, the Tigers scored, drawing them within a goal of tying the game. But the Dukes settled back to their disciplined, patient and defensive style, preventing Aurora from getting any closer.