The Wellington Dukes are going to a seventh and deciding game for the second straight series in the Buckland Cup Playoffs.
The Dukes gave up a goal in the final two minutes and fell 4-2 to the North York Rangers, in game six of the OJHL South East Conference Final, at LeHigh Arena on Friday night.
After a scoreless first period, Andrew Rinaldi opened the scoring for the Dukes with a wrist shot on the rush at 5:08, then Tyler Flack countered for North York, burying a rebound at 16:47 of the second period.
A back and forth third period led to a frantic final 6:00, with the teams trading goals.
Ross Kreiger’s shot at 14:02 took a bounce up and over Logan Bateman in the Wellington goal, trickling over the line to make it 2-1.
Then Quinn Hannah tied it 2-2 with a long wrist shot from the right point, a shot that’s become a trademark of the big defenceman, throughout the playoffs.
Jonathan Hampton #13 of the North York Rangers and Jacob Vreugdenhil #16 of the Wellington Dukes battle during the face-off at Wellington and District Community Centre in Wellington, Ontario, Canada. (Photo: Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)
North York’s Aidan Casey scored the game winner at 18:30, slipping a puck between Bateman’s legs off of a faceoff win in the Wellington zone and Jonathan Hampton would find the empty net with just a second left to seal the game.
Dukes Coach John Druce tells Quinte News he felt his team responded well after being trounced 8-2 Thursday night in game five and that Bloomfield native Jett Alexander made the difference, stopping 30 of 32 shots in the Rangers net.
Wellington had led the series 3-1, but will now have to play a seventh and deciding game on the road on Sunday.
Druce says his team will have to dig deep and stick to its game plan to be successful
Game seven goes at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, at the Herb Carnegie Arena, with the winner facing the Oakville Blades in the Buckland Cup Final.
