Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: OJHL Images Wellington Dukes
The Wellington Dukes threw a lot of rubber at the net, but needed one to go in that never came on Wednesday afternoon.
The St. Michael’s Buzzers got a game-winner in double overtime from Jack Godard to beat the Dukes 6-5 and hand Wellington its third straight defeat.
The day had a wild start with the two teams combining for eight goals in the opening frame.
The Buzzers answered Ethan Murray’s fifth goal of the season to open the contest with four straight tallies of their own from Godard, Caiden Clair, Aiden O’Toole, and Lucas Lagoutte.
Carson Albert found the net on a long shot for his first of the season to pull the Dukes back to within two, but a Tyler Clark shorthanded breakaway goal put St. Mike’s back ahead by three.
Maxime Morin aced his second goal in as many games on a powerplay to cut the deficit again before the frame ended.
The offence quieted down in the second, but Wellington did strike late through Christian Armstrong’s powerplay tally to close the gap to one.
Nine minutes into the third, Sacha Trudel keyed into his physicality once again, sending a Buzzer defenceman reeling into the end boards before setting up Vince Albanese for his third of the season and the equalizer.
After a first overtime period where Wellington controlled the shot count, the Buzzers wrestled the momentum back in double OT, carrying over momentum from a powerplay to score the winner at 2:24 to earn the extra point.
The Dukes had their best shooting performance so far this season, firing 48 at the Buzzers net.
All four goaltenders, Colby Booth-Housego and Royden Smith for the Dukes, Jonathan Frattaroli and Christian Lee for St. Mike’s, saw action.
The Dukes keep pace in the East Conference with 15 points
