Great game played by both teams! Both goalies looked like the were out to prove something and definitely showed the fans that this was going to be an exciting series!
Where are, all the comments on the hockey game?
I thought the game was great! The Duke Dome was rocking!!Karp made a few spectacular saves. Hache did the same. I did think Wellington had a few more chances, but they just weren't in the cards for them.
Looking forward to Sundays game if we don't get snowed in.
Marc Senecal’s power play goal five minutes into the second period was enough to slip the Wellington Dukes past the Kingston KIMCO Voyageurs 1-0 in Game One of the Eastern Conference Final Series.
The game was a back and fourth affair, with both teams having several golden chances and both goaltenders coming up with some big time saves.
“We were right there and had a chance to win this game tonight,” said Head Coach Evan Robinson. “I don’t think it was our best effort and I think there were a lot of nerves going through most of our guys, but we still had a chance to steal this game in the end. We just need to build off this and win our home game on Sunday,” concluded Robinson.
The Dukes used three power plays in the first period to gain a shot advantage, but nothing as significant as what the scoreboard in Wellington indicated.
The shot clock had the Vees with only four shots on goal in the first period compared to Wellington’s 17.
The interesting part was that Andrew Marcoux was not credited with a shot on a breakaway and Brett Jendra was not credited with a shot that hit Dukes goaltender Paul Karpowich in the middle of the crest.
Actual shot stats from the first period had the Dukes out-shooting the Vees 14-9 and not the lopsided 17-4 as indicated at the arena.
The loan goal came at the end of a Dukes power play, when a puck was left in the slot and Senecal was able to lean into a slap shot and roof it high over the glove hand of Matt Hache.
Hache was brilliant in the Vees net throughout the night and was clearly the best player in any uniform on the ice.
The Vees had several golden opportunities in the third, none bigger than a late power play that saw them miss a wide open back door play and then watch painfully as the puck trickled just inches past the post just seconds later.
Matt Hache was the Vees first star turning in a stellar performance in the Vees net.
Sean McAllister was the second star with a strong defensive game, directing traffic in his own zone well all night long.
Cole Weedmark was the third star with a hard working effort, coming up with some of the Vees best offensive chances.
Game Two in the series goes Sunday afternoon at 4:30PM from the Cataraqui Arena, with Game Three back in Wellington on Tuesday night.
I look forward to reading your "replays" of the games. Thankyou for filling us in on what I perceive as a truthful account of what happened. Excellent!
The Wellington Dukes served notice that they don't intend to relinquish the East playoff crown this season.
The Vees came out hard but the Dukes took over, with the help of some penalties, to the Vees. Brett Jendra took one at 4:24 and Mitch Latcford at 6:08.
Though the Dukes did not score, those back to back penalties really took the momentum away from the Vees and the Dukes seized it the remander of the period.
Only some stellar work by Matt Hache kept it scoreless. The Duke faihful nervously fidgeted when the Vees did not allow a single shot through on goal during those back to back penalties.
When the Dukes' Brandon Bureau took a late 1st period penalty, the Vees had a chance to draw even with a marker on the powerplay. But just as they threatened, Josh Dadic took a slashing penalty taking them off the balance of the powerplay.
It is said that when a team is assessed too many men penalty, it is the coach who wears the goat horns. It happened early in the 2nd period. Penalties of this nature usually have more to do with the player leaving the ice much too slowly for his replacement.
It lends credence to the notion that all coaches need to be armed with a long hook. That hook can be placed around the jersey of the player coming to the bench.Just to help him move a little quicker.
With Vees' captain Brandon Perry serving the penalty,and his face-off expertise in the box, the Dukes' Vees' killer Marc Senecel launched a laser past a helpless Hache 1:33 into the penalty. The Duke faithful went nuts. The Vees were 17 seconds short of killing it.
Early in the 3rd, Dukes' Rizzi was assessed. But the Vees, again, did not enjoy the benefit of a full 2 minute powerplay. Dukes' PK Zach Morbech raced down ice with Vees' Tyler Hill in hot pursuit.
Hill looked to have him pinned to the baords deep in the Vees end waiting for a teammate to pick up the puck and go back to the Wellington end. As Morbeck squirmed to get away, Hill tripped him and that ended the Vees' powerplay. Marvellous work by penalty-killing specialist Morbeck.
Whhen the Dukes' Chris Smith took a high-sticking penalty midway through the 3rd, the Dukes again, were relentless on the kill with their puck pursuit.
Then a lot of trapping by the Dukes' 5-men units after that. In fact, it was something Dukes' faithful Dukester assesed his team of choice never does.
They trapped, with perfection, for much of the 3rd period clinging to the 1-0 lead. Vees' best chance was a cross-crease pass that failed to make itself available for Vees' Phil McIlhone. The puck went across the goalmouth with Karpowich out of position but McIlhone was unable to track it down.
When the Dukes were assessed late in the period, the Vees' powerplay sputtered under the Wellingon PK. With Vees' Hache on the bench for an extra attacker, the Dukes put the puck down the ice several times to close the deal. When the Vees did get a face-off, deep in the Dukes' end in the dying moments, Marcoux lost the draw and the puck went down ice a final time.
Defenceman Anthony Babic was Vees' most ferocious hitter particularly in the first period really laying it on the Dukes forecheckers.
A crushing hit on Marcoux in the third period nearly sent the Vees' sparkplug to an early shower. He gained the Dukes' blueline,pulled up, with the puck , just inside the blueline, about two feet from the boards. A Duke roared cross-ice and really labelled him without a charging penalty. Marcoux hit his head, stunned momentarily, but regained his equlibrium, made it to his feet and to the bench under his own power.
It was another example of a player not getting tight to the boards, to reduce the chance of injury, should he get hit hard.
Jacob Wright's chance, in the 3rd period, was close but Karpowich made a sensational save off Wright's shortie bid.
When asked what he thought of the Vees' game tonight, a seasoned Vees' observer said, in a post game conference; I didn't like their game.They worked into the Dukes zone but did not drive to the net staying on the outside. They did not hit and they did not forecheck like they need to do."
Matt Hache really did give them a a chance to win agame they didn't deserve to win. Sometimes that game that got away , is the one you needed to have to make a difference in the series.
But it was the Dukes' penalty-killing and systematic play with the lead that really made the difference, tonight.
That, and the Vees twice, taking themselves off the powerplay without the benefit of a full two minutes.
Sorry......I thought that the first article was written by you because I thought you wrote for the website! It was an excellent, descriptive, well written article as was yours....Thanks again!
Dukes are renowned for puck pursuit and puck posession. Dukes didn't trap the 1-0 lead, they continued to pressure but didn't forget defence either. That wasn't trapping as I know it. Trapping teams do not usually outshoot their opponents.
Wayne
I also enjoy reading your account of the games (even if it is a little biased at times)as the re-caps on the Dukes web site are pretty generic.
As I stated in a previous thread "throw the stats out the Vees can"t take bad penalties and hope to win these games". The game pretty much followed that story line. The 2 penalties that shortened 2 Vees powerplays (by 0:16 and 0:29 respectivley) were not as bad as the too many men penalty that allowed the Dukes to score the only goal of the game. You just can"t make those mistakes against the Dukes.
From what I've been told it was a great start to what should be a great series. Fantastic goaltending by both teams, tight forechecking, and 600 screaming Wellington fans (they screened the rude ones out just in case Cash, Preds Fan were there), OPJHL hockey at it's finest.
You're all A.................you should know I no longer go to the infamous Dukedome, so I wasn't at the game. I don't need to go anyway.I just read Wayne.
Cash, you're the one who is coming off as the @$$***. All you ever do is spew ignorant comments about Wellington. It sounds as if you have bitter feelings towards them, maybe you were cut by them or something?
Naw!!!!!!!!!!! I am just sick of you bragging when you win and whining when you lose. If someone writes a comment (which you usually take as a criticism) about one certain play you are all over them. It's only a game....geez. Sit back and enjoy and as long as you keep winning that's great and if you lose.....oh well......you don't always have to have an excuse for every mistake the Dukes make. Your little forum group there are so defensive.......lighten up a bit!
Just wondering when you haven't criticized the Dukes?
DefenceWins (Login DefenceWins) Registered Members
Whining
March 9 2008, 4:31 PM
I don't remember Dukes fans whining last year when they lost in the OPJHL finals to the Aurora Tigers! Could be me and my memory though... I am getting old!
I have nothing against the Duke's. They are an excellent team and deserve to be exactly where they are. The Duke's organization is second to none and they don't need you guys sticking up for them all the time.
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