The Wellington Dukes picked up all six points available to them last week, bookending two incredible efforts around a bit of a lacklustre contest they were lucky to survive.

But the old hockey axiom of ‘Don’t ask how, ask how many’ lives on for times like these.

Wellington scored a gritty 3-1 home win over visiting Milton on Wednesday. The Menace are in the thick of the West Conference, just one point back of second place Collingwood.

The Dukes looked like they would fall back to earth with a thud on Friday night. Hosting the seven win Cobourg Cougars, the Cats hung tough and forced overtime where the locals eventually pushed through with a goal in a 4-3 win.

The next night Wellington was in Newmarket to battle the Hurricanes. The Canes were still smarting from a pre-Christmas loss at Lehigh Arena but the Dukes had the last laugh, winning 6-4 thanks to a heroic 34 save effort from Dryden Riley.

Looking Up in the East

With a troika of wins, Wellington pushed their record to 23-14-8. With 54 points, the Dukes trail fourth place Newmarket and fifth place Haliburton by six points and hold games in hand on both teams.

Wellington skipper Jacob Panetta praised his squad for a solid weekend.

“The game Friday night at home against Cobourg was tighter than we had hoped, but our team stuck with the process and guys stepped up when we needed them to,” Mr. Panetta told the Gazette.

He classified Saturday night’s effort in Newmarket as a great team win that started with Mr. Riley in the Wellington net.

“Riley held us in the game for a few stretches and we managed to get some key contributions up and down the lineup. Of course, goals from defensemen always helps,” the coach added. “(Assistant Coach Darcy Murphy) and I can really see signs of the team meshing and clicking at the right times. The belief from the guys in themselves is really starting to grow which is a very positive sign.”

Offence from the Defence

Down 2-1 after the first, Wellington scored three unanswered in the middle stanza against the Hurricanes. Some dogged forechecking by Wellington at the midway point of the middle stanza halted the Hurricanes from exiting their zone. Liam Campbell took control of the puck and spotted blue liner Tristan Williams open inside the blue line. The King City, ON native ripped home his 8th of the year to even the score at 2-2.

Just under three minutes later, it was fellow defender Cole Ellis threading the needle through traffic and past a screened Alex Armellin to give the locals their first lead of the game.

Wellington kept up the offensive zone pressure and were rewarded at 15:57 when Aiden Lee had just enough time and space to light the lamp from the high slot and make the score 4-2 heading into the second intermission.

The Canes rallied with a pair early in the third but one of Wellington’s leading sniper reinstated the lead with less than ten minutes left in the game thanks to a happy bounce in the Newmarket end. A dump in by Mr. Williams landed bounced around the Newmarket end until it landed on the stick of Landon Marleau. Mr. Marleau ripped the game winner from the slot area at 7:14 of the third.

Zach Carrier’s second of the game into a yawning Newmarket cage with ten seconds left finalized the score at 6-4.

High Drama at Lehigh

Saturday was the second night in as many that Mr. Carrier landed on the scorer’s list twice. However, his second goal on Friday night had a little more drama attached to it.

Despite having a 3-2 lead after two periods of play against the visiting Cobourg Cougars, Wellington was unable to seal the deal in regulation.

Henry Wang picked up a loose puck at the Wellington blue line and manoeuvred to the slot area where he beat Dukes starter Royden Smith with a snap shot from the slot with 2:42 left to draw the game event at 3-3.

After a scoreless 4-on-4 overtime, the teams played 3-on-3 for five minutes. In the second extra period, Mr. Carrier was fouled on his way to the Cougar cage during a breakaway. Afforded a penalty shot with 2:17 left. The Wellington shooter cruised in on Milo Slayer, faked a shot from the high slot and calmly deposited the puck on the backhand over the sprawling Cobourg goalie for the game winner.

The Dukes also had scoring from Mr. Campbell and Sacha Trudel in the win. Mr. Smith made 31 saves.

Great Goaltending

On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Riley gave up a goal to Milton’s Josh Currie 35 seconds into the game and then put forth one Wellington’s best efforts from a goalie all season. The Trenton, ON native was Dryden-esque against the Menace, making 52 stops in a 3-1 win.

Mr. Campbell’s 19th of the year on the power play 51 sceonds into the second tied the game and then Sammy Longo’s 4th at 3:50 gave the hosts all the offence they needed.

Mr. Campbell doubled down with 28 seconds left into Milton’s abondened mesh mansion to make the final 3-1 Dukes.

Wellington welcomes their Loyalist Parkway rival from Trenton on Friday for their only game of the weekend. The Dukes are then idle until Thursday, February 12 when they host North York.