Missing a couple players expected to be key contributors this year and playing down a couple players for the majority of the night, the Wellington Dukes still managed to comfortably win their season opener on Friday night.
Six different players found the net in a 6-1 victory over the Lindsay Muskies at the newly renamed Heidelberg Materials Arena in front of a excited crowd of fans.
The Dukes were outshot 13-8 in the first, but found a way to get out to a multi-goal lead on the strength of a shorthanded marker from Cooper Woron on a partial breakaway and one even strength courtesy of Landon Marleau off a turnover in the Muskies zone.
This came in a period where Wellington lost forward Mike Albert to a checking from behind major penalty and a game misconduct for a heavy check while already playing short one other forward.
Two young defencemen set big milestones with their first OJHL goals in the second, one off a rebound from Thunder Bay native Gavin Godick and the other off a Presley Kelly shot from a missed Zach Mascard chance.
Sammy Longo finished off a two-point game with a tip-in and after Picton product Kaden Koutroulides connected with Mason Quinn to break Dryden Riley’s shutout halfway through the third, Ben Kerr scored a slick, highlight-reel deke goal for his first OJHL marker to round out the scoring.
Riley finished with 34 saves as the shots landed even, 35 aside.
After sending their home faithful away happy, the Dukes will try to spoil the Toronto Warriors bid to win their first game of the 2026-27 season at Scotiabank Pond at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
