Wellington’s Connor Hunt had a goal and an assist in a 4-2 win over visiting Cobourg Sunday. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
The Wellington Dukes are finding 2024 is agreeing with them as they have yet to be defeated this year. Wellington improved its record this weekend to 27-15-2 and have won four straight since the calendar flipped from 2023 to 2024.
The club’s two most recent wins came this weekend.
On Friday in Lindsay, the Dukes finally managed to land the Muskies in double overtime in a thrilling 1-0 affair.
On Sunday in a four point game against the visiting Cobourg Cougars, Wellington gave the 600 plus fans at Lehigh Arena something to cheer about as they doubled their East Division rivals 4-2.
While the first place Trenton Golden Hawks look like the safest bet for first in the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Northeastern Conference with 68 points through 42 games, the Dukes have a good hold on second place with 56 points through 44 games. Wellington leads the third place Toronto Jr. Canandiens by two points.
Goals were hard to come by at the Lindsay Recreation Complex as Wellington’s Jack Lisson and Lindsay’s Ethan Fraser went save-for-save through regulation. The Dukes held the balance of shots, leading the Fish 35-28.
After the first overtime failed to produce a winner, Wellington went to work in the second session.
Zander Latreille would start the play, sliding the puck to Logan Sitlani.
Mr. Sitlani spotted Nick Dipaolo who finally solved Mr. Fraser 3:19 into double overtime.
Mr. Lisson, who was recently named Wellington’s player of the month for December, stopped all 30 Lindsay volleys and picked up his third shutout of the season.
Wellington would turn its fortunes over to Shane Shelest at home on Sunday and the Pointe Claire, QC native didn’t disappoint in a special teams affiar.
After a scoreless first period, Connor Hunt would spring Ethan Quick for a shorthanded effort at the 4:51 mark of the second.
Just over a minute later, Pana Efraimidis would take a Corey Jewitt feed and beat Cobourg’s Ryan Piros to make it a 2-0 margin for the hosts.
But the Cougars would claw back with a pair of power play tallies inside the final five minutes of the frame and it seemed as if the teams would once again emerge from intermission deadlocked.
A late Cobourg infraction would let Wellington run out the clock with the man advantage.
Ryan Schapp would spot Mr. Jewitt lurking and the Clincton, ON native made no mistake on his 22nd of the season to push the Dukes ahead 3-2.
In the final frame, Mr. Shelest was at his best, making 10 saves to keep his team in front.
With time winding down, Mr. Hunt fired the puck into the vacated Cougar cage to make it a 4-2 final.
Wellington plays arguably its biggest game of the season thus far on Friday when they travel to Trenton to take on the Trenton Golden Hawks.
Wellington is back home on Sunday to close out January with an afternoon tilt against the Haliburton County Huskies.
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