Considering the organization is coming out of the most trying and tumultuous offseason in their 35 years, the  players, staff, volunteers and fans should feel pretty proud of the Wellington Dukes in their first month of the 2023-24 Ontario Junior Hockey League season.

Who is going to coach? Play? At one point, serious questions wondering if there was even going to be a team at Lehigh Arena were asked.

But all of that conjecture and speculation seems to be be firmly in the organization’s rearview mirror. As they depart to Buffalo, NY this week for the OJHL Governor’s Showcase event, the club has managed a 4-1-2 record through the first seven games of the season, their latest triumph coming by way of a 4-2 win over visiting Caledon Friday.

The Dukes broke out of the starting gate well, earning a two goal margin thanks to  Liam Lucas and Connor Hunt. Mr. Lucas would double down for his sixth goal in seven contests in the second to build a 3-0 lead.

Down three goals, the Admirals and Austin Vassos would solve Wellington starter Nolan Lane at the 7:56 mark of the second but the Dukes were able to re-establish their three goal cushion later in the frame as  Colin Smith scored.

Mr. Vassos would get lucky and bank a puck off Mr. Lane from below the goal line with under 10 minutes left in the game to make it 4-2 but that was as close as the OJHL’s admiralty would get to the league’s royalty on this night.

Dukes fans can thank the OJHL schedule maker for stiffing them as the Dukes will take on the Toronto Jr. Canadiens Tuesday and and the Trenton Golden Hawks on Wednesday in neutral site games. At the very least, the first Battle of Loyalist Parkway of ’23-24  will count as a Golden Hawks home game.