Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: Wellington Dukes/OJHL Images
The Wellington Dukes couldn’t overcome a determined Markham Royals squad at Lehigh Arena on Wednesday.
After trimming a 3-0 deficit to one in the third, two empty-netters sealed the 5-2 win for the visitors.
Wellington outshot Markham 14-8 in the opening frame, but couldn’t budge Sebastian Monaco in the Royals crease and Markham ended up breaking through for two goals less than a minute apart from Nick Ferrante and Julian Mandarino, with both goals starting on rushes from the Markham zone.
The Dukes had some powerplay opportunities in the second, but again was stymied at every turn by Monaco in an overall scoreless period.
Owen Ibbotson scored what turned out to be the difference-making marker shorthanded early in the third.
The home side inspired themselves to close the gap with a Riley Noble ‘seeing-eye’ shot through heavy traffic on the powerplay from Ben Vreugdenhil and Cory Jewitt at 4:19.
Quinn McNamara pulled the Dukes within one, banking a puck that came out the other side of the Markham cage after Ryan Schaap split his stick in two on a failed one-timer.
Logan Sitlani added the second assist on the London product’s first goal as a Duke.
Unlike the weekend prior to last, this comeback was not to materialize, as Ferrante and Mandarino each potted their second goals of the game into an empty Wellington net to seal the win.
Dario Cantini made 21 stops in his Dukes debut after being acquired from out west this week.
The Dukes will try to halt their three-game-losing skid and stop a surging Pickering Panthers team on the road at 7:30 p.m. Friday night.
