To the playoffs

Dukes finish season on an upswing

The Dukes are headed to the playoffs. Again. Every year since Garry Lavender, Hugh Parliament and others brought the team to Wellington over 35 years ago, Wellington has played its way into the postseason. It is a remarkable achievement. Starting this weekend, the Dukes will face the Stouffville Spirit in the first round. Not since 2011 have these teams squared off in the playoffs. That year, the Dukes prevailed, defeating the Spirit four games to two to advance to the Buckland Cup series—a trophy they carried over their heads a few weeks later.

The teams finished the regular season with identical records of 33 wins, 19 losses, plus four overtime losses. A convoluted tiebreaker calculation gave the Spirit home-ice advantage.

Coach and general manager Kent Lewis noted his team’s six-game losing streak in February precipitated the Dukes’ fall in the standings.

The first-round series will get underway in Stouffville on Saturday. More parity between Wellington and Stouffville in 2025: Each team won two of the four-game season series. Similarly, Stouffville’s leading scorer, Riley Pope, generated 72 points in the regular season—the same point total accumulated by Dukes captain Cory Jewitt.

DUKES 7 – AURORA 3
The most noteworthy aspect of the Dukes’ final season match occurred before the game began. Over the public address speakers, Dukes’ announcer Tyler Brown summoned the graduating players (those aging out of junior hockey) to come to centre ice individually. As each player approached the carpet, their parents came out onto the ice to greet them. Over the loudspeakers played a recording of each young man offering a message of gratitude to their mom and dad. It was a heartwarming and poignant moment. It was also an opportunity for fans to recognize the players who have provided such great entertainment over the years and who will soon set out on the rest of their lives.

The Dukes jumped out to a four-goal lead without breaking a sweat. At one point, an Aurora player—flattened at the blueline—lay on the ice for a few moments. He hadn’t been hit particularly hard. And so the play continued. It was unclear whether the player was hurt, just needed a rest or was contemplating the set of circumstances that had led him to that moment. His season was just about done. Maybe he was thinking of home.

Whatever was going through his mind, his team went through the motions through the rest of this game. The Dukes pulled back the throttle. They would go on to win the game 7-3. But it wasn’t clear that anyone was counting.

UP NEXT: ROUND 1 STOUFFVILLE
The playoffs for the Dukes will start Saturday in Stouffville. The Dukes will play in Wellington on Sunday. Puck drop at 4 p.m.

Coach and GM Kent Lewis anticipates a tough series.

“All three zones will be a challenge,” said Lewis. “They have been a solid team in the back half of the schedule and we are looking forward to getting started. I’m excited about it.”