Story by Brock Ormond
A hot start and productive special teams gave the Wellington Dukes their first victory of the young OJHL season.
The Dukes did the job of spoiling the Pickering Panthers home opener with a 9-0 win on Sunday night on the strength of six powerplay markers and a shorthanded lamp-lighter.
Will Mitchell picked up his first OJHL hat trick, and Liam Lucas and Cory Jewitt hit the net twice, with Jewitt deflecting the game’s opening goal off a point shot on a man advantage at 14:44 of the first period.
Mitchell buried another powerplay marker for his first of two on the night at 18:25, then Mason Goodfellow was sprung for his second goal of the year by Jewitt less than a minute after.
Those three goals chased Aidan Feddema from the net in favour of former Picton Pirate Ethan Beattie, but the Wellington onslaught continued.
Mitchell fired home a shorthanded marker from Will Whelton to make it 4-0, then Lucas banged in his two tallies less than two minutes apart to help the Dukes run away with the score.
Austin Montgomery-Parsons chipped his first OJHL goal at 3:48 of the third, which was quickly followed by Jewitt’s second of the game 38 seconds later.
Mitchell notched his hat trick marker to round out the scoring and complete a four-point night as things got a little chippy towards the end.
Along with Will Whelton’s two assists and Mitchell’s single, Jewitt, Lucas, Matthew Whelton, Connor Loerzel, Colin Smith and Sacha Trudel contributed helpers.
Not to be lost in the offensive shuffle, Wellington native Nolan Lane had a sterling performance to earn his first shutout in his first OJHL game.
Head Coach Kent Lewis also recorded his first win behind the Dukes bench.
The Dukes, now 1-1 on the season, get set to welcome the Toronto Patriots to Lehigh Arena. for the first and only time this season at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.