Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: Wellington Dukes/OJHL Images
The Burlington Cougars snapped an eight-game losing skid at the expense of the Wellington Dukes on Thanksgiving Sunday afternoon.
Mason Wharton’s go-ahead marker with just over two minutes remaining in regulation time gave the Cougars the only lead they would need in the game and sunk the Dukes in a 5-4 Burlington win.
The Cougars had to overcome a pair of two-goal deficits in defeating the Dukes.
Wellington had a fast start in its third game in three days, jumping out of the gate to a 2-0 lead on goals from Sacha Trudel and Zander Latreille, but Burlington chipped away with a pair from Ethan Walker late in the first and Justin Legault in the early stages of the second.
The Dukes took the lead back on a powerplay at 5:03, with Cory Jewitt getting a fortunate hometown bounce off the end boards and knocking in the rebound off a Connor Loerzel shot for his eighth of the year.
Nick DiPaolo re-extended the Dukes lead at 8:47 after Jewitt and Connor Hunt worked Burlington into a turnover and centered a pass out to the Burlington resident for his fourth of the season.
Metson’s goaltending took over for Burlington, as the Belle River, Ont. native made some key saves to help his team claw back into the game.
The Cougars scored three unanswered markers to take the victory, first with Ryan Gagner scoring shorthanded in the second frame, then Tommy Karmiris found the net on a powerplay at 3:07 of the third and then Wharton coming through in the clutch late, tapping in a Karmiris feed past Jack Lisson for the winner.
The Dukes outshot Burlington 45-31 in the loss, putting them at 1-2 on the weekend.
Wellington is back in action on Friday at Lehigh Arena, welcoming the red-hot St. Michael’s Buzzers to town at 7:30 p.m.
