Missed opportunities

Hayden Lavigne was brilliant on Friday in the Dukes net, including stopping Newmarket’s sniper Calvin Higley in the shootout.

Dukes learn a tough lesson

The Wellington Dukes might have been nipping on the heels of second place this morning. Could have been. Should have been.

But instead of one point back of the Kingston Voyageurs with first place within the team’s sights, the Dukes—with the loss against Pickering on Sunday night-fall back to their familiar position in the middle off the pack, three points behind the Voyageurs and six points out of first.

It was one of those losses that will either propel the young team to never let that happen again, or it will become a haunting reminder in February of opportunities lost.

Certainly Pickering is an improved team this season over last. By this time in 2011 the Panthers had accumulated just three wins. This year, despite residing once again in last place in their division, Pickering has put together seven wins.

The Panthers came to Wellington on Sunday having lost eight of its last nine games. But they didn’t play like a defeated team. They were hungry for a win.

Thing started okay for the Dukes as Josh Gervais, in his second game back from a shoulder injury, playing in mid-season form—rushed up the wing and fired a shot on net just in time for Brian Bunnett to redirect the puck into the net.

But a few minutes later a defensive lapse allowed Jarett Smith, a Duke for eight games last season, to lob a shot from a bad angle that beat Matt Larose to tie the game.

Before the period was up Joe McKeown was allowed to skate from his wing toward the net and line up his shot—cleanly beating the Panther netminder. Early in the second, Pickering tied the score once more. But in the final minute of the frame Craig Campbell fired a hard snap shot from short range that beat the Panther netminder on the power play.

Yet once again the Dukes couldn’t hold the lead. Seconds into the third period the Dukes gave up the puck in their own zone and ended up in the net. A minute later the Panthers capitalized on the Dukes’ sudden lack of confidence. Carlos Amestoy, once a highly touted prospect having been recruited by the D1 University of Maine Black Bears and the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and now, with the Panthers in his last year of junior elegibility, created his own turnover at the Dukes blueline and snapped a shot high over Larose’s glove.

It was the Panthers’ first lead of the game.

Then Jan Kaminsky, who often appears able to charge up the left wing at will, took the puck out of the corner and stuffed it short side into the net to pull even. As the period grew old the Dukes’ leading scorer, Craig Campbell, was called for holding. A shot from the blueline fluttered through traffic into the net.

Throughout the third the Dukes, realizing they were in a hockey game, pounded the Panthers, doing everything but score. The Dukes outshot Pickering and scored on two of three power plays. But they came up a goal short where it mattered most—the final tally.

Forward Parker Wood left the game with a bunged leg and did not return. He is expected in back in the lineup on Thursday. Meanwhile the feisty forward Cam Nicoll missed his third game, out with a broken finger.

The reason the Dukes were poised to stake a claim on second place in the East Division on Sunday was due to another thrilling and surprising performance on Friday night.

The Newmarket Hurricanes lead the North Division and are touted as one of the OJHL favourites this season. They’ve done this with profound attention to team defence. Matthew Wintjes is a decent goalie—but it is his teammates’ willingness to come back and play smart hockey in their own zone that has enabled the Hurricanes to allow the fewest goals in the OJHL.

Josh Gervais out manoeuvres towering Newmarket forward Daniel Leavens along the boards on Friday night.

The Hurricanes scored early in the first period but then nothing much happened for the next two periods. Hayden Lavigne was sturdy in net for the Dukes, turning away several strong scoring opportunities. Then with less than five minutes left in the game the Dukes won the face-off deep in the Newmarket zone. Crafty winger Craig Campbell came away from the scrum along the boards and hesitated long enough to make Wintjes commit. Campbell potted the goal. The game was tied. Incredible.

Nothing was settled in overtime. It took 12 shooters to determine a winner in the shootout that followed. Erick Delaurentis and Craig Campbell each scored—Delaurentis low five-hole, Campbell high backhand. Newmarket’s shooters kept pace. Then Lavigne stoned the next three shooters. Two Dukes shooters failed. But Abbott Girduckis, mirroring Campbell, pulled the puck to his backhand, lifting the puck high blocker side.

It was a shocking end that had Dukes fans buzzing out into the parking lot and on Main Street the next day.

UP NEXT: AT KINGSTON AND LINDSAY, HOME FOR STOUFFVILLE
The Dukes will look to gain ground on the Voyageurs as they visit Kingston on Thursday. The Voyageurs will be without Charlie Finn—who is with Team Canada East— one of only three players, including Mike Soucier, from the entire North East conference skating in the World Junior ‘A’ Challenge in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

Kingston has only won two of their last seven games. On Friday the Dukes travel to Lindsay to face the Muskies and former teammate Cole Murduff for the first time this season. Murduff leads his team in scoring from the blueline. The Muskies got off to a slow start but are now looking to move up the North Division.

The Dukes welcome the Stouffville Spirit back to Wellington on Sunday. Stouffville has won two of three previous meetings. The Dukes will be looking to even the score.