Story by Brock Ormond

Photo: OJHL Images/Wellington Dukes

The Wellington Dukes perhaps deserved a better fate in trying to snap a long winless skid on Monday night.

The Dukes battled hard throughout the night but came out on the losing end of a 6-5 double overtime defeat in a penalty-filled contest.

Two Wellington players had a chance to clear at the blueline, but couldn’t do so and Charlie Key buried his second of the night on an Evan Elliott setup to stun the Dukes and their faithful.

Vasily Serov got the Panthers rolling with a pair of goals in the first, but Zach Mascard pulled the Dukes back with a powerplay marker that squeaked through Anthony Sciere’s legs in the final minute.

Wellington answered a Peter Smith powerplay tally in the second with two of its own while up at least one man, taking advantage of four straight Panthers penalties on goals from Evan Erwin and Zack Carrier.

Sacha Trudel broke out of a month-long goalless drought by stealing the puck at his line and deking out Sciere on a shorthanded breakaway to give Wellington its first and only lead of the night just over two minutes into the third.

Key provided an answer with a similar steal and goal on a break, then Josh Brady lofted a backhand shot over the glove of Nolan Hardy to put the Panthers back ahead again with a chance to put it away.

Fitting of this game, the Dukes didn’t go away quietly and managed to knot the score again on a strange angle goal from Christian Armstrong to secure the Dukes one point.

After the Panthers got robbed on two quality chances in the first overtime, they needed only one shot to end it from Key at 37 seconds of the second OT frame.

15-year-old Hardy, making his second start as a Duke from the Toronto Marlboros AAA program, put up a valiant effort with 26 saves as Wellington outshot Pickering 39-32.

The Dukes still seek their first win since Oct. 1 and will have to wait until Sunday, Nov. 2 versus the Lindsay Muskies at 1:30 p.m. at Lehigh Arena.