Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: OJHL Images/Wellington Dukes
The Wellington Dukes’ struggles continued on Friday night at home in a 4-2 loss to the St. Michael’s Buzzers.
Wellington’s fifth loss in a row saw the score go to 4-0 Buzzers before Wellington clawed back to only halfway with a pair of markers in the third.
St. Mike’s played an efficient style in the first frame and went ahead 2-0 on goals from Hudson Cummins off a neutral zone Wellington turnover and Anthony Francella off a ricochet in front.
Keegan Driscoll banked in the third goal for St. Mike’s at 5:56 of the second to chase Dukes netminder Jacob Brown for Dario Cantini, then got another last-minute goal from a defenceman, this time Michael D’Alessio to run the margin to four before the intermission break.
The Dukes fought back with Sacha Trudel’s 18th of the season shorthanded from Logan Sitlani and Riley Noble and Kyle Kavc’s deflection for his eighth from Carson Littlejohn and Ryan Schaap, but the comeback trail was cut off at just two.
St. Mike’s outshot Wellington 30-27, and Cantini was solid in relief with 17 saves on 18 shots.
Despite the defeat, Wellington still sits in a fourth-place tie with the Stouffville Spirit with 64 points in the East Conference.
The Dukes have a quick turnaround to face the Trenton Golden Hawks in the fourth and final round of the ‘Battle of Quinte’ at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday at Lehigh Arena.
