Story by Brock Ormond

Photo: OJHL Images

Emmet Pierce has continued his red-hot offensive pace and helped his Wellington Dukes surge in the second half of the OJHL season.

The 20-year old forward completed his eighth multi-goal game of the year with his hat trick tally in double overtime to lift the Dukes to a 4-3 victory in Cobourg Monday night.

Mason Reeves gave the Dukes a 1-0 lead on a breakaway goal after picking off a pass at the Cougars blueline under eight minutes into the first period.

Reeves sixth of the year held up through the opening frame thanks to a pair of brilliant, highlight reel-type saves by Matt Dunsmoor off George Krotiris and Charlie Da Fonseca back to back.

The Cougars did eventually get on the board 5:41 into the second thanks to Krotiris, but Pierce buried a David Campbell pass top shelf in the late stages on a powerplay to give the Dukes the lead back.

Jonathan Balah added the second assist.

Pierce's second of the game from Jaxen Boyer added to Wellington's lead at 8:26 of the third stanza, but the Cougars came storming back to force overtime.

Da Fonseca and Kallaway Mercer potted two goals in nearly three minutes to lock the score at three apiece and set the stage for Pierce's winner.

The two overtime periods weren't without drama, as the Cougars missed two golden chances on a shot off the post and a point blank miss before Jacob Vreugdenhil set up Pierce for a hook shot around Cobourg goalie Justin Easter two minutes into the second extra frame.

The Napanee native is now up to a team-leading 66 points on the season.

Dunsmoor made 30 saves overall for the victory, Wellington's 28th of the season. The club is back to within a point of idle Trenton and can pass the Golden Hawks for first in the East Division on Wednesday when they take on the Caledon Admirals at 7:30 p.m.