Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: Ed McPherson/OJHL Images
The Wellington Dukes got back in the win column on Friday night with a 4-2 victory over a much-improved Caledon Admirals team.
Liam Lucas notched a pair for the Dukes, getting Lehigh Arena buzzing with the game’s opening goal, connecting on a cross-crease feed from Will Mitchell at 4:16 of the first.
Ethan Quick, in his return home after a year in the Ontario Hockey League, recorded his first point back with a second assist.
Mitchell followed that up with more of the same at 12:40, threading another nifty feed through the slot for Connor Hunt to poke in for his third of the year, giving Wellington a 2-0 in a dominant first period.
Less than two minutes into the second, Lucas wired home his second of the night and sixth of the year after Sacha Trudel worked the puck to the slot and got tripped in the process.
Quick added his second helper on what turned out to be the game-winning marker.
Austin Vassos one-timed a Dukes cough-up to get Caledon back within one, before Colin Smith caught a break when his point shot deflected off an Admirals stick and in to restore the three-goal advantage.
Mitchell added his third helper on the night, with Cory Jewitt chipping in as well.
Vassos popped in his second of the game late in the third, but enough damage had been done for the Dukes to win.
Nolan Lane made 23 saves to help the Dukes improve to 4-1-0-2 on the season, while Austin McKillop kept his team in the game with 40 saves on 44 Wellington chances.
The Dukes are off until Tuesday, when they play the first of two challenging OJHL Governor’s Showcase matchups against the Toronto Jr. Canadiens at 7:30 p.m.
