Hard slog

Dukes’ netminder keeps the game within reach

It wasn’t close. Despite the numbers on the scoreboard, the Collingwood Blues dominated the game on Sunday in Wellington. Except for Jack Lisson. The Dukes netminder was lights-out brilliant in this game. He kept his team close. Close enough to make the game exciting, and the outcome uncertain until the final buzzer.

DUKES 2 – COLLINGWOOD 3
Wellington barely managed to get out of their zone in the first—accumulating just three shots on net. Midway through the period, the Blues gained the zone at speed. The shot hits the post. The trailing forward, Marcus Lougheed, hammered home the rebound. Lisson had no chance.

Seconds into the middle frame, the Dukes gave up the puck in their end. Collingwood’s pocket-picker carried the puck down the wing. His shot handcuffed Lisson.

But then a rash of penalties. First by the Blues. Later, by the Dukes. After a long five on three man-advantage, the Dukes’ Jared McNeil found Captain Cory Jewitt below the face-off dot deep in the Blues’ zone. One timer. The Dukes were on the board.

In the third, it was the Dukes’ turn to defend a long five on three disadvantage. The defence was stalwart, but not enough. Not for one of the league’s best. The Blues extended their lead.

Later in the period, the Dukes found themselves once again killing a penalty when defenceman Riley Noble found Zach Mascard streaking up the ice. Mascard found a lane. Shot. Short-handed goal. Now, it was interesting. The Dukes were within a goal of tying the game—a game in which they were outshot 41-16.

With the Lisson on the bench in favour of an extra attacker, the Dukes did indeed get close to drawing even. But the buzzer sounded, and Wellington had slipped a game under .500.

After this newspaper’s publishing deadline, they will have had the chance to restore equanimity on Tuesday against the North York Rangers.

UP NEXT: MARKHAM AND TORONTO JR. CANADIENS

The Dukes welcome the Markham Royals to Wellington on Friday night—only Wellington’s second Friday-night-home-game so far this season. The Dukes smote the Royals 8-1 last month in Wellington. Markham has struggled so far with just a single win in 10 outings. But some of this is just bad luck. The Royals aren’t being outclassed—instead, they are losing games by a goal or two most nights.

The Dukes will need to be wary of Markham.

On Tuesday the Dukes travel to Downview to take on the Junior Canadiens. Toronto edged the Dukes 4-3 in September. Zach Carrier scored twice to lead the Dukes that night.