Road warriors

Dukes captain Simon Bessette rifles the puck toward Spencer Finney in net for Trenton.

Dukes win two of three in northern Michigan—now head to Vermont

Two out of three ain’t bad. Considering the Wellington Dukes had just spent the previous 11 hours on a bus, the 3-1 opening day loss to the NAHL’s Traverse City was not so much a letdown as it was the price for a long journey. This point was underlined by the fact that the Traverse City squad had just pushed aside the tournament hosts, the Soo Eagles, in a 12-0 rout the day before.

Marc Nother stood tall in net for the Dukes, turning back dozens of shots in the loss. Forward Erick Delaurentis scored the lone Dukes goal.

On Sunday the Dukes rebounded with a 6- 1 win over the Canadian Sault Ste. Marie team—the Soo Thunderbirds.

This time it was Charlie Graham’s turn in net. The Dukes got goals from Josh Gervais, Mitch McNeill, Craig Campbell, Braden Kavaratzis, captain Simon Bessette as well as Jan Kaminsky. Kaminsky returned to the team from his home in Atlanta, Georgia on the weekend.

DUKES 11-SUDBURY 4
On Monday morning the Dukes turned up the heat against the newly rechristened Sudbury Cubs. Many have been waiting for returning Dukes player Rich Stethem to break out with a big game. Stethem scored a hat trick and added a pair of assists on Monday morning leading his team to a 11-4 thumping over the NOJHL team. Kaminsky also earned a hat trick. Craig Campbell and Josh Gervais each tallied a pair, while Jarret Smith added a single.

“We came out strong and took an early 4-0 lead,” reported forward Erick Delaurentis. “Then we slowed down and we were outplayed the last 10 minutes of the first period and they got a goal. We turned it back on in the second and didn’t look back.”

Delaurentis noted Stethem’s five-point performance.

“He played a really hard and gritty game and was rewarded for it,” said Delaurentis. Andrew Pearson and Marc Nother shared duties in net for the Dukes on Monday.

Marc Nother clears the puck while keeping a watchful eye on the descending Trenton forwards.

THE UNIVERSE IN BALANCE
The Dukes rounded out their OJHL pre-season with a satisfying 5-2 win over the Trenton Golden Hawks on Friday night in Wellington— handing the suddenly powerful Trenton squad their only loss in four exhibition outings. Five days earlier the Golden Hawks had defeated the Dukes by the same 5-2 score (it was the Dukes’ sole loss in seven OJHL games).

The teams traded goals at the end of the first period—Jackson Howe scoring his first of three for the night from Elliott Richardson and Jaret Smith. Lanky forward Cole Bolton snapped home a hard shot from the face-off circle, finishing a strong shift by the entire line in which the Dukes simply outworked the visiting Trenton team. Midway through the second the Dukes pulled away on Jackson Howe’s second goal teeing off a clever setup by Craig Campbell.

The Golden Hawks scored just seconds after Dukes forward Darcy Murphy was tagged two minutes for hooking, narrowing the Wellington lead to a goal. But in the third Murphy scored to restore the two-goal lead—then in the dying minutes Howe coolly intercepted a Trenton pass at the blueline and, in one motion, the puck was streaking toward the empty net. A 5-2 final. The natural order in the OJHL was restored.

UP NEXT: WOODCHUCK CLASSIC
The Dukes players managed to sleep in familiar beds on Tuesday. Some have made preparations for the new school year. But on Thursday the team climbs back on a bus bound for Vermont.

The Dukes are playing once again in the Woodchuck Classic exhibition tune-up tournament in South Burlington. The tournament has become an important showcase for players seeking a scholarship to a U.S. school.

Last year the Dukes took three of four games— losing once in a 3-2 squeaker against New Hampshire. As the defending EJHL champions, the Monarchs—despite their somewhat less than terrifying team name—are again the team to beat.

By the time the Dukes return home on Sunday, according to the Dukes’ statistician David Brown, the team will have travelled more than 2,744 kilometres since their home game on Friday night.

BULLS IN WELLINGTON
The Belleville Bulls are moving to Wellington this weekend. The Bulls will host the Kingston Frontenacs this Saturday in exhibition play at the Essroc Arena at the Wellington and District Community Centre in Wellington. Game time is 7 p.m.

Dukes fans will be looking to measure the progress of forwards Scott Simmonds (Bull) and Darcy Greenaway (Frontenacs).

Tickets are available at Lavender Furniture and at the gate.