Story by Brock Ormond
Photo: Wellington Dukes/OJHL Images
The Wellington Dukes returned to the win column on Wednesday night with a 4-2 doubling of the Lindsay Muskies.
One of the newest Dukes, Jayden Levesque, came up clutch with what turned out to be the winning goal with 8:36 left to go in regulation to unlock a 2-2 tie and put Wellington ahead for good.
Wellington led 1-0 after one period on a contested goal by Cory Jewitt on the powerplay that the Muskies thought was knocked in by a hand.
After video review, the officials upheld the goal, giving the Dukes captain his 19th of the season.
Ryan Schaap took a Jewitt feed and lasered a shot under Lindsay goalie Noah Kraus’ glove for his 19th of the season a little more than three minutes into the second to up the Wellington lead to 2-0.
Affiliated defenceman Jorden Davis notched an assist on that goal for his first OJHL point.
Lindsay came storming back late to tie the score, with Danill Kononov and Carson McKenzie cashing in to turn the game on its head a bit going into the third.
Levesque’s winner came after Kyle Kavc and Ryan Castle exchanged the puck while switching spots and the latter found the 18-year-old forward sneaking in backdoor for the finish.
Schaap’s second of the game came in the empty net in the waning seconds to finish off an aggressive offensive game for the Dukes, who outshot Lindsay 39-19.
Schaap and Jewitt each finished with three points in the victory.
Dario Cantini stopped 17 for the win, his seventh this season and the team’s 25th overall.
The Dukes visit Minden for a date with the Haliburton County Huskies at 4 p.m. Saturday.
