Rough weekend

Dukes return to action in Wellington tonight

The Wellington Dukes stumbled badly over the weekend. But the biggest loss might have been in the Dukes’ net. The West Kelowna Warriors have acquired Jack Lisson, according to media reports in the BCHL market. The Dukes, as of Monday, had not made a statement about the trade, while Lisson remained on the team’s online roster.

Lisson had been the difference in many of Wellington’s wins this season and last. He had a 2.27 GAA in 12 games this season with a save percentage of .931, which put him in the top ten netminders in the OJHL.

In Lisson’s place, Noah Davis, newly acquired from Red Lake Miners of the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), was tasked to backstop the Dukes on Friday night in Wellington.

DUKES 3 – TRENTON 5
Wellington had knotted the game at three goals apiece midway through the second period—on the strength of a pair of goals from Jared Mc- Neil. (Netminder Noah Davis earned an assist on McNeil’s goal.)

Zach Mascard tallied to open the scoring early in the game. But penalties. Trenton scored on the power play. Both teams traded chances in the final frame, but the Dukes could not find the equalizer. An empty net goal sealed the Golden Hawks’ win.

DUKES 3 – AURORA 6 A hard-fought game in Trenton turned into a flat performance in Aurora. The Tigers scored three times before the game was barely seven minutes old. The Dukes’ Nolan Hendry scored his first of the season in the first frame.

But in the second, the Tigers came back with two more goals—one of which was assisted by Luc Warner, who had recently been traded to Aurora from Wellington. Zach Mascard scored in the second, narrowing the deficit.

But Aurora potted a fifth behind Davis. Another former Dukes player, Nick Brady, assisted on Aurora’s fifth goal. It was that kind of night.

The teams traded goals in the third, but that was it. The Dukes were humbled in Aurora.

UP NEXT: MARKHAM AND PICKERING
The Dukes are home tonight (Wednesday) for a rare midweek game in Wellington. The Dukes have managed the Royals in two previous matches this season—allowing Markham just two goals in the games. This game is the only home game for the Dukes this week.

On Friday, the Dukes head out to Pickering for the second time this season. The first meeting—the first game of the season for both teams—saw the Dukes take this game handily. Ben Vreugdenhil had a big night with a goal and a pair of assists.

Pickering has been an improved team since early September. The Panthers have won four of their last five games, including victories against Haliburton and Cobourg.