Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: Wellington Dukes/OJHL Images
For the third straight game, the Wellington Dukes roared out of the gate to put away their opponents.
Wellington clinched its seventh straight victory by outslugging the St. Michael’s Buzzers 7-5.
The Dukes fast start featured four goals in the opening period, including three in the first 8:46 from Edward Moskowitz, Barret Joynt and Lucas Lapalm.
Joynt added another one as Wellington escaped the first with a 4-2 lead.
After Jonathan Morello found the net for one of St. Mike’s three powerplay goals to cut into Wellington’s lead, David Campbell wired home his sixth of the year to re-establish the two-goal bulge, then Lapalm quickly followed that up with his second of the night to make the score 6-3.
Another Morello powerplay tally late in the middle frame kept the Buzzers hanging around, but Wellington was too strong and essentially put them away at 9:23 of the third with a Connor Hunt marker.
St. Mike’s got one more goal from Bryce Sutherland with the goalie pulled, but the Dukes held on for the win to improve to 13-5-2-0 on the season.
Campbell and Moskowitz ended up with three points each to lead Wellington’s offence.
Jacob Osborne made 31 saves in his first start since Oct. 29, including one on a penalty shot, and Wellington outshot the Buzzers 42-36.
The Dukes continue their weekend with a stern test, one of the Northwest Conference’s best the Collingwood Blues at 7:30 p.m. Friday for their Remembrance Day game.
