Jared McNeil has seven points in his club’s last four games-all wins for the Wellington Dukes. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
If the Wellington Dukes (21-10-0) were seeking momentum heading into Friday night’s visit by the arch rival Trenton Golden Hawks, they certainly have it.
The locals looked perilously close to coughing on their three game winning streak on Monday night in Cobourg. After coming back on the Cougars with a pair of goals at the midway point of the third, the Dukes surrendered a go-ahead goal inside the final three minutes of play to allow the hosts to pull out in front at 3-2.
With time winding down, Wellington super sophomore Zach Carrier accepted a Ryan Schaap feed with just 16 seconds left in the contest and snapped the puck past starter Reece Herman to break the hearts of the Cobourg faithful and send the game to overtime.
Midway through the extra session, it was Mr. Schaap’s turn to play shot caller as club captain Corey Jewitt found the Carlisle, ON native with time and space that allowed him to send the game winner past Mr. Herman and send Wellington off into the frigid December evening with a full complement of points.
The win gives Wellington 12 wins in their last 14 outings and moved them into second place, one point ahead of the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and two ahead of the Haliburton Huskies. Yes, both those clubs chasing the Dukes have games in hand on the locals. The Baby Habs might leapfrog Wellington today when they visit Aurora for everyone’s favourite, a week day afternoon game.
But Wellington has made a move on the pack in the middle of the Ontario Junior Hockey League’s Eastern Conference and are positioning themselves nicely as a team in contention.
Despite outshooting Cobourg 21-12 through the first two periods of Monday night’s game, Wellington was unable to solve Mr. Harmon until the 8:51 mark of the third period.
After Cobourg staked themselves to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of goals in the opening six minutes, Wellington carved the Cougars lead in half at the 8:51 mark when Zander Latreille picked his team leading 25th helper on the season, setting up Ryan Castle for a tally.
Mr. Jewitt needed no help in squaring the affair when he fired home his 14th of the campaign at 11:46 of the third.
Diego Da Silva’s second of the period at 17:25 established the Cobourg lead but the last second heroics by Mr. Carrier which featured Mr. Latreille second assist of the frame pushed the game to overtime where Wellington won.
Wellington netminder Jacob Brown made 17 stops in the contest.
On Sunday, Wellington got goals from five different shooters and Mr. Brown had a light afternoon as the Dukes turned back the Georgetown Raiders 5-1.
The Dukes were never in danger of losing to the Western Conference’s seventh placed Raiders as the home side out shot the visitors 35-16.
Mr. Schaap and Jared McNeil scored goals 67 seconds apart at the end of the first to give Wellington a lead it would not relinquish.
Mr. Brown’s only blemish on the afternoon was a goal off the stick of Owen Bruining with six seconds left in the opening stanza.
Dukes Defender Logan Sitliani had the only goal in the second period while Mr. Latreille and Kyle (I’d like to buy a vowel) Kavc lit the lamp in the third to make it a 5-1 final in favour of Wellington.
On Friday, The King Rebellion made their first foray to the Dukedome. The rebranded Brantford 99ers relocated to King Township north of Toronto this summer.
The Rebellion never got off the ground in Wellington, however, as the local monarchy held firm sway over the rink and adjoining lands in a 5-1 quelling.
With the game tied 1-1 through 40 minutes, Wellington’s Sacha Trudel fired a pair of goals in the third to send the Rebs packing.
Zach Mascard and Mr. Schaap also tickled the twine in the third behind Rebellion stopper Carter Bickle.
Mr. Kavc fired home Wellington’s opening period marker.
Dukes netminder Dario Cantini had 32 saves in the win.
Friday’s win was the second in a row for Mr. Cantini. The Cap-Pelé, NB native was perfect in Wednesday’s 4-0 whitewash of the host Jr. Canadiens, making saves on all 25 volleys sent his way.
Wellington again featured a balanced attack as four different Dukes scored. Mr. McNeil, Mr. Kavc, Mr. Carrier and Mr. Schaap all managed to increase their goal totals in the shutout win.
After alumni night on Friday where the Golden Hawks make their first visit to Wellington this season, the locals host Halliburton on Sunday afternoon.
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