Power players

Dukes own the best power play in the league

Just one game for the Dukes on the weekend, and they made it count. The Dukes braved the snowstorm Friday to visit the Golden Hawks in Trenton. Despite a sizeable crowd of Hawks fans loudly cheering on their team, the Dukes took hold of this game. While they wobbled at times, Wellington never let Trenton get the upper hand.

Indeed it was timely power play goals by the Dukes that tipped the balance. In doing so, the Dukes moved atop the leaderboard as measured by power play goals with an impressive 27.9 average.

DUKES 5 – TRENTON 3
Barrett Joynt got the Dukes on the board in the first, set up by Edward Moskowitz. Joynt has been on a tear since returning to the Dukes, earning 12 points—including eight goals—in nine games. Ryan Smith tallied on the power play to extend the Dukes’ lead before the first period was done.

The Golden Hawks, having benefited from a rousing motivational talk from their coach Jerome Dupont between periods, were game in the second. Trenton scored early in the frame and again midway through. The teams went to intermission tied.

Early in the third period, the Golden Hawks were tagged for hooking and then cross-checking. Matheson Mason scored on the second power play of the period.

Connor Hunt followed up with a goal midway through the period—restoring the two-goal lead.

Trenton tallied again later in the period— but Lucas LaPalm extinguished any comeback attempt with an empty-netter.

UP NEXT: CALEDON AND NORTH YORK
The Dukes head north of Brampton to the Mayfield Arena on Thursday to take on the Caledon Admirals. It’s been a tough season for the Admirals, with just three wins in 23 outings. Opposing teams have an average of 5.78 goals against Caledon. It is hard to win hockey games when conceding nearly six goals a game.

Yet, the Dukes must be wary of opponents with nothing to lose. In their only other meeting, this season, Wellington defeated Caledon 7-1 in mid-September.

On Friday, the Dukes welcome the North York Rangers in the first half of a home and away pair of games. The Rangers are firmly ensconced in the lower middle ranks of the South East Conference. North York has won just three of their last ten games.

Wellington beat them 8-4 earlier this month. But two games later the Rangers managed to defeat the suddenly-surging Toronto Patriots 8-7. It seems the Rangers have the weapons to compete—but have struggled to make the most of their talent. So far.