Getting to know you

Dukes still learning about their opponents

Just weeks into a new season, the Wellington Dukes have faced a wide range of talent and determination in opposing teams. Perhaps none is more surprising than the North York Rangers.

The Rangers came into Friday’s game against the Dukes with a splotchy record—just two wins in five tries. They were ranked middle of the pack in a comparatively weak South Division. But, behind the numbers, the Rangers’ losses were by narrow margins, their goaltender Ryan Demelo helping to keep games close.

These were the Rangers who appeared in Wellington on Friday night. They were small but fast. They were eager to chase the puck and scrambled to protect their netminder. The Wellington Dukes were perfect through five games coming into the match.

Defencemen Cole Murduff and Darryl Snelling were away, each called up by their OHL clubs, Peterborough and Belleville respectively. Youngsters Wil Healey and Matt LeCavalier were pressed into action.

The first period produced a stalemate. The Dukes hit a couple of goal posts and Simon Bessette was stymied twice on point blank shots from the sweet spot in the slot. Demelo was worth his bus fare early.

Early in the second, Zack Jones was set to jump back onto the ice from the penalty box for a crosschecking violation in the previous penalty. But the Rangers’ diminutive forward, Luke Colavecchia, scooped up a rebound and gave his team the lead.

Banished from the power play in the first period, Zach Blake responded by ratcheting up the intensity in his game. Minutes after the Rangers had taken the lead, Blake swooped down the wing and skillfully carved a path to the net, sweeping the puck cross-crease to linemate Sean Rudy, who scored to tie the game. Later in the period Blake dashed in the opposite wing on the power play, but there was no pass this time. The determined 20 year old lasered a wrist shot into the far corner to give his team the lead.

The Dukes were gaining an advantage in shots on goal, and the outcome seemed set.

That was, until Healey was nabbed for tripping and sent to the penalty box. Once again the Dukes were seconds away from killing the penalty when the Rangers tallied to tie the score. Nothing was settled in overtime.

It took 13 shooters on the two netminders before the Rangers’ Taki Pantziris beat Jordan Ruby.

It was the Dukes’ first loss of the season. They could only lick their wounds a short while; on Saturday night they were in North York to face the Rangers for the second time in as many nights.

I LOVE NY

For the second straight night, the teams played through a scoreless first period. Midway through the second the Rangers took the lead. But the Dukes’ top line of Blake, Rudy and Joe Zarbo weren’t about to witness a repeat of the previous game. The trio of veterans scored three times in the third period, each taking turns finishing the play to secure the win for the Dukes. A late power play goal by the Rangers didn’t alter the outcome.

The Dukes had returned to their winning ways.

UP NEXT: WHITBY AND STREETSVILLE

On the weekend the Dukes travel to Aurora to participate in the Governor’s Cup, a showcase tournament held annually to enable the players to perform in front of scouts and recruiters from a wide range of leagues, including U.S. and Canadian universities.

The Dukes face the Whitby Fury on Saturday for the first time since they swept the Durham club in four games in the playoffs last season. On Sunday the Dukes face the struggling Streestville Derbys.

DUKESNOTES: THE NUMBERS

From the files of David Brown, the Dukes’ sharp-eyed statistician, we learn that the Dukes so far have allowed just 15 goals in seven games. Not a bad stat on its own. This total, however, includes eight power play goals, one penalty-shot goal and one shootout goal.

This means the Dukes have given up just six evenstrength goals in seven games.

The moral: Stay out of the penalty box.