Proving a point

Dukes push Golden Hawks to the limit

It is gut-check time for the Wellington Dukes—and they passed the first test with flying colours. In a double-overtime loss to the Trenton Golden Hawks on Friday night, the second-place Dukes pushed the first-place Hawks to the limit in a game that could have gone either way. Earning a point in the game proved that the Dukes are capable of matching and beating the best teams in the OJHL. But with only seven games left in the season, Wellington will be facing another major hurdle this coming week when they play four games in five days through the weekend, with three of them on the road. This crucial stretch reveals a quirk of the schedule, since the Dukes finish their season on Thursday, February 29 while many of the teams clustered behind them in the standings play through Sunday, March 3.

DUKES 3 – TRENTON 4 (2OT)
The Dukes got off to a slow start before a home crowd of more than 1,000 Friday, but Trenton roared out of the gate, outshooting Wellington 7-1 by the time they scored their first goal on a quick shot that caught the corner behind Dukes goalie Jack Lisson. Trenton took a penalty a few minutes later and would have had a great short-handed chance but for a splendid open-ice hit from Dukes captain Dimitri Tzaferis. The game was tied on a power play when Cory Jewitt scored his 26th of the season off a scramble

in front of the Hawks net. But two minutes later, Trenton was back in front when Owen Wilson fired a shot from the top of the circle that beat Lisson. Trenton outshot Wellington 16-10 in the first when it seemed like the Dukes were just getting started. And the fans were still getting used to seeing some of Wellington’s better players from last year—Corbin Roach, Barret Joynt and Lucas Lapalm —in Trenton’s baby-blue sweaters. The addition of Wellington native Cole Lavender to the Hawks lineup was also a shock.

The Dukes kept the pressure on in the second, outshooting Trenton 11-9, although the Hawks took a 3-1 lead early on a shot from right in front. But Wellington had some great chances, hitting a post and having a puck swept off the goal line by defender Dillon Stiles—who may not have reached it if he wasn’t 6-foot-7. The Dukes also had two clear chances on the penalty kill, but couldn’t beat Hawks goalie Brady Spry.

That set the scene for drama in the third when the Dukes started on the power play then scored just just after it ended when Panayioti Efraimidis netted his 13th of the season with assists from Jewitt and Connor Hunt. The Dukes weathered a four-minute storm when Sacha Trudel took a double minor for kneeing at 5:04. Then at 12:26, Colin Smith’s point shot ricocheted off Hunt into the Trenton goal to tie the game. Wellington’s Ryan Schaap had a breakaway with two minutes left, but couldn’t beat the Hawks goalie. The Dukes had a 14-10 advantage in shots in the third.

In the first overtime, Wellington had numerous chances on a power play, but were thwarted by some desperation saves by Spry. The Dukes also had some bad luck with bouncing pucks. The teams went to three-on-three for the second overtime and the Dukes were pressing until Trenton had a breakaway that was foiled when defenceman Joshua Rumolo chased him down and broke up the attack. Unfortunately for the Dukes, the puck stayed in their end and a few passes later David Fournier netted the winner.

The Dukes fought hard to gain a single point in the standings and all of us who missed out on the $1,340 50-50 draw could feel a little of their pain. But it was a loss that felt like a win.

UP NEXT: AURORA, ST. MICHAEL’S, MARKHAM, COLLINGWOOD
The Dukes travel to Aurora on Thursday for a 2:30 p.m. game against the Tigers. On Friday, they play at St. Michael’s at 7:30 p.m. They return home for a Sunday game against Markham at 2:30 p.m. then get back on the bus for the long ride to Collingwood for Monday’s 2 p.m. game.