Onto the semi-finals

Dukes set to take on the Haliburton County Huskies

Home ice advantage is why the Dukes worked so hard in the regular season.

The Haliburton County Huskies had held a firm grasp of second place in the South/East Conference all season. But in the new year, the Dukes began closing the gap. In a pivotal tilt in mid-January, the Dukes edged the Huskies 4-3. Two weeks later, Wellington dropped a 3-2 decision in Minden. But a week later, the Dukes bested Haliburton 6-1 in Wellington. (In five h e a d – t o – h e a d matches with Haliburton County this season, the hometown won each game—the lone exception being an unresolved 4-4 tie in mid-October in Wellington.) It wasn’t until the final weeks of the regular season that Wellington moved into second place, displacing the Huskies. The importance of that push is clear this week as the Dukes get ready to host the Haliburton Huskies in game one of the South/East Semi-Finals on Friday night in Wellington.

ST MIKES RECAP
It seemed inevitable Wellington would sweep this series after three convincing wins. (The headline in last week’s Times underlined this conviction.) But St. Michael’s had other ideas. They had Jacob Gorinsky in net. In his previous outing, he had limited the Dukes to three goals— two of which were with the man-advantage.

But game four wasn’t about a goaltender. It was about the pride of St. Mike’s. It is a team of quality and competitiveness—but insufficient depth. On the transition, in particular, the Buzzers were always a threat throughout the series.

But on Tuesday night in Toronto, St. Mikes was a dangerous combination of determination and desperation. For some, this might be the last time they played at this level—at home. For their families, friends and fans.

The Buzzers scored three times in the opening frame—one on the power play. While the Dukes responded with more shots on net and good scoring opportunities, the Buzzers finished. Four more St. Mikes’ goals in the second— one on the power play, another shorthanded. Another Buzzer’s goal in the third.

Eight goals. None for the Dukes, even though they outshot the home team 48-39.

The Buzzers’ win set up Game Five in Wellington on Friday.

DUKES 6 – BUZZERS 3
It was a much more disciplined team that took to the ice at home. Relentless on the forecheck and structured in the neutral zone—none of the fleet-footed St. Mikes was flying up ice unobstructed on this night.

The Dukes were in firm control from the opening whistle. By the end of the first period, the Buzzers had mustered just two shots on Jacob Osborne. The Dukes mounted a 4-0 lead by the halfway point in the game. St. Mikes got two past Osborne late in the second to make things interesting.

But the Dukes were having none of it. Two more goals in the third.

It was time to prepare for Haliburton County.

UP NEXT: SEMI-FINALS
While the Trenton Golden Hawks tangle with the mighty Toronto Junior Canadiens, the Dukes will face off against Haliburton County.

The Huskies defeated a talented Toronto Patriots squad in five games—though two games were decided in overtime. The Patriots, however, remained a threat to the end.

The Huskies, meanwhile, are a tight defensive- oriented team. They are backstopped by Aiden Spooner and Tyler Hodges in net, though Spooner got the call in all four games against the Patriots. Spooner earned a save percentage of .926, with a goals-against average of 2.28 through 30 games in the regular season.

Tyler Collins was the Huskies’ top sniper in the regular season, but the Patriots managed to limit the forward to a pair of goals. Patrick Saini led his team with seven points—including three goals—in the first round. Isaac Sooklal quarterbacks the power play. He generated seven assists in five games.