Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: OJHL Images/Wellington Dukes
A dynamite powerplay helped the Wellington Dukes earn their first-ever Hasty Ps Cup over the Trenton Golden Hawks on Friday.
David Campbell and Barret Joynt each had two goals and the Dukes scored four total markers on the man advantage in a 6-3 doubling over the Trenton Golden Hawks.
Wellington’s offensive guns outduelled the Trenton pairing of Adam O’Marra and Matt Cato, breaking out of a 1-1 tie to score three second period tallies for the victory.
Joynt deflected a Jacob Deitz shot past Ben Bonisteel for the game’s icebreaker at 5:41 of the first, but O’Marra answered back, cutting loose and beating Morrow after being hit with a tape-to-tape pass by Duncan Grube.
The G-Hawks had the opportunity to wrestle momentum away while on a penalty kill halfway through the middle frame when David Fournier got an opportunity on a penalty shot.
The 18-year-old missed the net however, allowing the door to open wide for Wellington.
Campbell finished off a passing play with Luke LaPalm and Ryan Cutler, burying a backdoor feed for his 15th of the season.
Matheson Mason followed that up with a deflection goal, being left alone by the Trenton defence in front of the net for his 20th of the season less than a minute later, assisted by Barret Joynt and Corbin Roach.
Campbell’s second of the game was a highlight-reel quality tally, playing give-and-go with Cutler before undressing the Trenton defence and going upstairs on Bonisteel for what was the eventual game-winning goal.
O’Marra shovelled in a loose puck in front of Ethan Morrow with assistance from Cato to cut the Trenton deficit to two before the end of the second.
Wellington’s third powerplay marker was buried by Joynt for his second of the night and although a Cato dart over the right shoulder of Morrow chipped into the Dukes lead a bit more, it wasn’t quite enough.
Ed Moskowitz hit the empty Trenton cage for his team-leading 24th of the year to seal the win with 15 seconds left – earning Derek Smith his 100th career OJHL head coaching victory.
The victory improves Wellington to 31-11-2-2, five points clear of Trenton with a game in hand.
The Dukes’ game in hand will be quickly erased Saturday night, when they face the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 7:45 p.m.
