Speed demons

Nineteen-year-old Nick DeVito fends off a check by blueline prospect Aiden Girduckis, brother of Dukes forward Abbott. DeVito hails from Averill Park near Albany New York. Last year, DeVito scored 27 points in 27 games with the Under-18 program at the Selects Academy of South Kent, in Portsmouth New Hampshire.

Dukes look fast in training camp scrimmages

The Wellington Dukes were on the ice on a weekend that felt more like October than August. Sixty players—a mix of veterans, newly signed and recruits— skated through four scrimmages on Saturday and Sunday at the Essroc Centre in the Wellington and District Community Centre.

Veterans including Joe McKeown and Erick Delaurentis looked sharp on the front end in early action, as did Andrew Coupland and Jacob Panetta on the blueline. Returning netminder Taylor Welsh also looked sturdy. Newcomers Marco Azzano won a number of fans in his new hometown— scoring a bouquet of goals in his first couple of scrimmages.

Joe Deluca and Nick DeVito showed clear evidence that the Dukes will be defined by speed again this season—the pair moved quickly and made decisions even faster.

The Dukes practice all week and work hands on with the kids participating in the Dukes Hockey School.

On Friday, the team will suit up for a pre-season tilt against cross-bay rivals Trenton Golden Hawks here in Wellington. On Saturday they repay the favour by travelling to Trenton. On Monday night the team heads to Cobourg. Next Friday, August 29, the Dukes host the Kingston Voyageurs in their last exhibition game before heading to the Green Mountains of Vermont to skate in the Woodchuck Classic in Burlington

SEASON TICKETS
Season ticket prices are unchanged from last year: $270 for adults, $240 for students. Season tickets are available at the rink all week in the Dukes ticket office.

Betty Masterson is once again managing season tickets. She can be reached at 613.399.1573 or by e-mail: ladybug19@sympatico.ca

BLIGHT’EM UP
Braydon Blight notched a pair of assists and was plus four in his first pre-season game with the Saint John Ice Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey league on Friday night. The lanky defencemen joined the Dukes for the Dudley Hewitt Cup run in May. But his solid start in Saint John likely means he will stick in the Q. The Times wishes Braydon well.