Ragged individuals

Dukes abandon discipline, give away three points

Most are still teenagers. Young. Excitable. Driven. It is why the concept of discipline is so much more than a slogan in junior hockey. Discipline must be an essential part of the culture— from the moment they arrive in Wellington, through every interaction in the community to their decisions on and off the ice.

The OJHL is a development league. That is its reason for being—to elevate raw talent into effective hockey players in the NCAA, major junior and beyond. Discipline has always been a defining characteristic of the Wellington Dukes teams. It can be again.

On Saturday, the Dukes gave Aurora 14 power play opportunities. You don’t need any particular insight into the game of hockey—or any sport—to know that when you give your opponent that much time with the man-advantage, you lose 100 per cent of the time.

The difference between a win and a tie on Friday was a pair of Newmarket power play goals.

The Dukes are nearly midway through the seson. It is not as though the trend wasn’t clear earlier. It was. But the Dukes were winning then. So all was good. All could be forgiven.

Now, however, what was once an irritant, has festered into a pus-filled boil. Wellington is losing games due to a preponderance of penalties. Once isolated to a few players, lack of discipline has now spread throughout the dressing room.

Ben Evans redirects a point shot to score the Dukes’ second goal of the game against the Newmarket Hurricanes on Friday night in Wellington. Photo: Rick Matthews

The cure will be harder to implement. Bad habits, once formed, are hard to break.

Discipline is a choice—it is a way of looking at the game and deciding, in my actions, that I will overlook the momentary transgression for the good of my team, for my line mates, for my fans. That the Dukes have had the opportunity to teach this to these young men is a privilege. That so many have advanced and found success in this game beyond Wellington is a testament to these ideas. But the Dukes players also bear the responsibility to ensure they are developing character as well as skill.

More work is needed.

DUKES 4 – NEWMARKET 4
For the second Friday in a row, Dukes fans were treated to extra periods of hockey at the Essroc arena.

After 20 minutes of scoreless action, the Newmarket Hurricanes opened the scoring early in the second period off a goal by Ryan Hunt. The Dukes answered back less than two minutes later with a one-timer blast by Geoff Lawson—his second of the season—assisted by Declan Carlile and Jackson Arcan. With the momentum on the Dukes’ side, Ben Evans scored, unassisted. 2-1 Dukes. Shortly after, another Dukes goal. This time it was Mitchell Martan taking a smooth pass from Carlile and beating Fraser Kirk.

The Dukes seemed to be in control. Newmarket’s bench boss, Thomas Milne, was looking for a momentum changer—something to get his club back in the game. Kirk was yanked and Justin Vertesi—who started the season in Wellington—came in to take his place.

Then, just before the second period ended, and with Lawson in the box for cross-checking and Jeffrey Burridge in the box for roughing, Newmarket scored on the powerplay to shorten the Dukes’ lead to 3-2.

Eric Uba’s sixth goal of the season with 9:10 to go in the third period from Daniel Panetta and Mack Warren restored Wellington’s twogoal lead. The Dukes felt safe. A two-goal lead midway through the third should have been enough.

Instead, the Dukes gave Newmarket their sixth power play of the game. The Hurricanes seized the gift, narrowing the Dukes’ lead to a goal.

Twenty-eight seconds later, Newmarket scored again to tie the game.

Two overtime periods of back and forth action couldn’t decide the game. Great goaltending by Capriotti allowed the Dukes to skate away with their third tie of the season. Final shots favoured Wellington 38-35.

DUKES 1 – AURORA 6
The penalties came early and often in Aurora on Saturday. The Dukes had three skaters (two in the box), Aurora four (one penalized), when the Tigers scored in the first period. It did not get better. Wellington managed only eight shots and gave up three goals in the first period.

In the second, the Dukes accumulated seven penalties— Aurora collected two more goals. Panetta and Arcan combined for the Dukes’ lone goal in the game in the second frame.

More of the same in the third. More penalties. Another Tiger goal.

Fighting. Roughing. Unsportsmanlike. Slashing. One slashing infraction was so egregious the Dukes’ player was ejected from the game.

This is a watershed moment. How the Wellington Dukes respond, in the weeks ahead, will make it clear how far this team can go—and how well it is doing in developing the young men in its charge.

COMMITMENTS
Dukes defenceman and Ameliasburgh native Zach Uens has commited to join the Merimack College NCAA Division 1 mens hockey program. The 16-year-old blueliner has three goals and five assists, including one gamewinner this season.

UP NEXT: COBOURG AND ST. MICHAELS
The Dukes welcome the Cobourg Cougars on Friday night. The Cougars haven’t quite found their stride this season. After winning the RBC cup last season, they have only squeaked out eight wins in 20 games. Time will tell if new bench boss Jerome Dupont can bring the Cougars back to their winning ways.

On Sunday the Dukes will welcome the St. Michaels Buzzers for their lone game of the season. The Buzzers are sitting in last place in the South Division, winning only 11 of 26 games.