Pushing through

Dukes earn two points in a quiet week

Despite decisively winning its only game last week, the Dukes slipped back in the standings as other teams began catching up to the Dukes in games played. The Dukes must now win games to work its way up the standings. Currently, the team is just eight points back of Trenton and two points behind the second place Markham Waxers.

The Dukes have a busy weekend ahead—three games in three days, two at home.

DUKES 3 – PICKERING 0
The Dukes made efficient work of the Panthers on Friday in Pickering. Jack Lisson sealed the net, turning away 16 shots in the first period, while Hayden Pimm scored a pair of goals in the first period. That’s all the Dukes needed.

Pana Ephraimidis added another in the third. Meanwhile, Pickering outshot the Dukes 30-29.

UP NEXT: AURORA, STOUFFVILLE AND OAKVILLE
The Tigers have had a dreadful November— dropping all five games in the month. Ryan Evenhuis leads his team with 16 goals and as many assists. Aurora visits Wellington on Friday.

The Dukes head out to Stouffville on Saturday for their third meeting with the Spirit this season. Each team has won a game at home. The Dukes must try to buck this trend on Saturday. Stouffville has a better winning percentage than the Dukes, but sits three spots lower in the East Conference (a measure, perhaps, of the parity in the conference).

On Sunday, the Dukes return home to entertain the Oakville Blades. The Blades have a better winning percentage (.646 v. 600 for the Dukes), and they are artificially mired in the middle of the West Conference pack. The Dukes have played nine more games than the Blades as of Monday. Halton’s outside workers were on strike for eight days, shutting down arenas, including the Blades’ Sixteen Mile facility. If Oakville manages to maintain its rate of success, the Blades will soon be among the leaders in the West Conference.

Oakville won three of their last five games.