Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: OJHL Images
Mitchell Young’s first goal as a Wellington Duke couldn’t have come at a better time.
The 17-year-old Elmira, Ont. native scored the game-winner in double overtime on a solo rush, speeding past a defender and flipping the puck upstairs to give the Dukes their eighth straight win, 3-2 over the Collingwood Blues on Friday night.
Wellington had a fast start on a short turnaround following its 7-5 win on the road the night before, scoring twice in a couple minutes in the first period courtesy of Luke Lapalm and David Campbell.
Lapalm hit the net for the 13th time this season, banking a pass to himself off a Blues stick and beating Julian Molinaro with a quick shot through the five hole at 10:28.
Edward Moskowitz and Julien Jacob assisted on the marker.
Campbell then capitalized on a Blues penalty by ripping his seventh of the season glove side on Molinaro from Jacob Vreugdenhil and Ryan Smith to increase the lead.
Collingwood, making its only visit to Wellington this season, quickly responded to cut the deficit on an Adam O’Marra marker just 43 seconds after Campbell’s goal.
A tight second frame produced only one tally, from Carter Diceman on a partial breakaway at 10:56, but Ethan Morrow became a brick wall after that, not allowing another Blues marker.
Neither team scored in a back-and-forth third period, with the closest Wellington chance coming on a JH Lages shot off the crossbar.
After a nervous first overtime frame went by, Young played the role of hero with a blast of speed out of his own zone, turning on an extra gear and driving to the middle to beat Molinaro for the important second point.
Smith and Vreugdenhil each picked up their second helpers of the night on the winner.
Young received first star honours for the overtime heroics, while Morrow and Molinaro were both stellar in net with 29 and 36 saves, respectively to get second and third stars.
The Dukes now carry a 14-5-2-0 record into Sunday’s tilt with another top flight team, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens on Sunday at 7:15.
