Story by Brock Ormond

Photo Credit: OJHL Images

The undermanned Wellington Dukes hung with the Trenton Golden Hawks in chapter one of the Battle of Quinte, but a valiant effort came up just short.

The G-Hawks ran their unbeaten streak to six games to begin the 2021-22 Ontario Junior Hockey League season with a 7-4 triumph on Friday night at Lehigh Arena.

On four separate occasions, the Dukes went up by a goal, but each time, the Golden Hawks answered the bell, and used a dominant third period to pull away from the hosts.

After an early marker from Jacob Vreugdenhil just 54 seconds into the third, Trenton took advantage of an ill-advised Payton Schaly unsportsmanlike penalty by scoring on a powerplay. Aiden MacIntosh finished off a tic-tac-toe play started by Jake Campbell and Stephan McDonald.

The momentum turned for good just 37 seconds later on a scrambly play that featured a spectacular save by Matt Dunsmoor in the Wellington net on an odd-man rush, a follow-up shot off the post and a rebound buried by Jake Laville.

Laville’s second of the game was assisted by Aaron Jamieson and McDonald.

Trenton capitalized on a turnover at the Wellington offensive blue line with another three-way passing play, this one involving the Mauro brothers (Devin and Justin) and Matt Cato, who buried his fifth of the season for much-needed insurance, before a McDonald empty netter.

Jonathan Balah had given the Dukes their first lead just 3:16 into the night, making a smart pinch off the point and burying a rebound off Trenton goaltender Ethan Taylor for the only goal of the first period.

The lead was erased before the ice was even dry in the second period, with Bancroft accepting a Campbell pass and cruising into the Wellington, slipping past the Dukes defence before tucking the puck in the back of the net past a sprawling Dunsmoor.

Less than a minute later, Emmet Pierce struck for his first of two goals in the stanza, undressing Cole Williamson on a deke before rifling a short-side wrister past Taylor’s glove hand from Schaly and Vreugdenhil.

Bancroft’s second of the night came on a rebound from a Campbell shot after a aerial pass from the Dukes that went astray, but Pierce reinstated the Wellington lead on yet another rocket of a shot from the slot. Liam Whittaker and Vreugdenhil drew the assists.

The Dukes came close to escaping the frame with a lead, but Laville’s second effort in front of the Wellington net gave him his first tally and third of the year from Jamieson and Nathan Oickle.

Just as important of an element as the Golden Hawks offensive output in the third was their attention to detail defensively. They completely boxed the Dukes out after the opening goal and held them to one late shot in the final minute to lock down the win.

The G-Hawks outshot Wellington 46-18, with Dunsmoor making 39 saves in a losing cause. Taylor’s 14 saves was good enough to earn himself his third personal victory of the years.

As expected, the first installment of the Battle of Quinte was physical, with both teams throwing their weight around heavily, but doing so while avoiding a vat of penalties.

Trenton also has the upper hand in the added incentive of the Hasty Ps Cup, which the club won last fall.

The Dukes will entertain the Lindsay Muskies at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday as they look to fight their way back to the win column.