The score was closer but the result was the same for the Wellington Dukes on the road in the Buckland Cup Final.
The boys from The County dropped game three of the OJHL Buckland Cup Final 3-1 to the Blades at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex in Oakville on Tuesday night, performing better than in their 6-0 game one loss, but still struggling to find success on the larger Olympic-sized ice rink.
Oakville’s Spencer Kersten put Wellington in a hole just 33 seconds in when he knocked in his own rebound, after initially being stopped by Logan Bateman, on a drive from the side of the net.
The Blades made it 2-0 about 6:00 later when Josh Nixon tapped Kyle Lewis’ pass into a pretty much empty net, with no Dukes’ defenders protecting the goal.
The only goal of the second came courtesy of Kersten again, as he took the puck on a coast-to-coast rush, split the Wellington defence and tucked a shot past Bateman to make it 3-0.
One of the most controversial moments of the game came just after the second period buzzer.
Callum Jones, who had been a thorn in the Dukes’ side all night, had a few words for Wellington’s Andrew Rinaldi on his way off the ice and when the linesman stepped between them, grabbing Rinaldi’s stick, the Wellington sniper pushed back and was handed a match penalty for physical abuse of official.
No word yet on any supplemental discipline on that play.
Oakville Blades forward Harrison Israels gets a shot on Wellington Dukes goaltender Logan Bateman, during Game 3 of the OJHL Buckland Cup Final at Sixteen Mile Sports Complex, on April 16, 2019. (Photo: Tim Bates / OJHL Images)
The Dukes would get one goal back midway through the third period, on a Quinn Hanna wrister to the top corner past Will Barber, but that was all the offence they could muster.
Dukes forward Dawson Ellis says the size of the rink and a slow start cost them early, but his team will prepare for game four and try to extend the series as long as they can, after facing plenty of adversity on this playoff run already.
Game four goes Thursday night in Wellington at 7:30, with game five if needed back in Oakville on Saturday.
You can click here to read the box score from Tuesday night.
