Dukes fans filled the parking lot of the Essroc Centre in Wellington Wednesday night to celebrate their home town team before they flew to Chilliwack, B.C on Thursday for the RBC Cup. Photo by Brett Bullen QNet News
By Brett Bullen [1]
WELLINGTON – The Wellington Dukes [2] are getting ready to head to Chilliwack, B.C., to take on the best Junior A hockey teams in Canada this weekend.
The Dukes won 7-4 over the Dryden Ice Hogs Saturday to win the Ontario championship, the Dudley Hewitt Cup [3], and punched their ticket to the RBC Cup [4].
It is the third time in team history the Dukes will compete in the RBC Cup, and this marks the third time since 2016 a Quinte team will represent Ontario. The Trenton Golden Hawks won the previous two Dudley Hewitt Cups, in 2016 and 2017.
This year’s RBC Cup will have a different feel than ones of past years, though. The Dukes will play the Steinbach (Man.) Pistons in their second game of the tournament. Steinbach is the representative of the Manitoba and Saskatchewan leagues, winning the playoffs that the Humboldt Broncos [5] were playing in before their tragic bus crash [6] on April 6.
The story of the Humboldt Broncos affected communities all over Canada, Wellington is no exception.
“It hits close to home, we spend so many hours on the bus and flying out there it’s in the back of your head. Obviously you never wish it on anyone, anytime we travel anywhere we always are thinking about them. It’s going to be nice to have the tournament in their honour,” said Dukes defenceman Geoff Lawson.
The Dukes team really feels like a family, with teammates pulling as many as six players into a interview because they want to make sure every one is included. The guys says they couldn’t imagine losing anyone and the idea of what happened to Humboldt makes all of them uneasy.
Dukes players share close quarters in the back of a truck to thank the community for supporting them. Photo by Brett Bullen, QNet News
Goalie Jonah Capriotti summed it up best saying, “Spending nine months with the team, we get really close. Spending every second at people’s houses hanging out, just being part of the group. it’s tough to lose people, you can’t even imagine that.”
The Dukes community and fanbase is “one of the best junior hockey communities in Canada,” said head coach and former NHLer John Druce. He said they had great fan support in Dryden and many fans were even making the flight to Chilliwack, B.C. to continue to support the team.
Robert Baitley is one of those fans. Baitley has volunteered for 45 years with Dukes, running their 50/50 draws this season, and for him, it’s nothing out of the ordinary to be flying across the country to support his hometown team.
“I’ve been to all the RBC Cups with team. Charlottetown in 2003, Kamloops in 2011. I’ve been to all the Dudley Hewitt Cups too,” said Baitley.
Baitley’s not the only fan going. The Dukes will have many home fans there cheering them on.
“There is 20 of us in the one hotel room in Chilliwack. Fly out Friday morning and will be ready for the first game on Saturday,” said Baitley about his travel arrangements.
Not all fans can make the 4500 km journey to Chilliwack so the Dukes held one last send off Wednesday evening at the Essroc Arena, before the team flew out Thursday morning.
The Dukes hosted a barbecque for fans and the community. Volunteers gave out free hot dogs, hamburgers and drinks, provided by the local Sobeys, in exchange for donations that would go towards their championship rings.
Local fans lined up in the parking lot of the Essroc Centre to get their free hot dogs. Any donations that were made went to the players championship rings. Photo by Brett Bullen, QNet News
Fans had the opportunity to interact with players for pictures and autographs. The Dudley Hewitt Cup was on display for fans to hold and fans were encouraged to sign banners that would be on display in the Dukes dressing room in Chilliwack.
Hundreds of fans came out to show their support and enjoy the festivities. That show of passion and support is not lost on the Dukes players.
“We’ve said time and time again that we have the best fans in the league. They support us everyday, even watch our practices, so it’s really amazing,” said Dukes assistant captain Mitch Martan.
Dukes forward Andrew Rinaldi spent last season playing in Whitby, and is still in awe of the fan support the Dukes get. The reception the team got from the Wellington community returning home from Dryden as Dudley Hewitt Cup winners was a highlight . “When we came back (from Dryden), 10:30 p.m. I think, and we had fans here waiting for us. So that was really amazing. Felt like a professional.”
The Dukes first game at the RBC Cup will be at 2 p.m. PDT against the Ottawa Jr. Senators. The team knows that they will be facing the best competition in Canada, but the goal of a championship remains the same.
Wellington Dukes RBC Cup Schedule: [7]
Saturday, May 12, 2018: Wellington Dukes vs. Ottawa Jr. Senators. 2 p.m PDT
Monday, May 14, 2018: Steinbach Pistons vs. Wellington Dukes. 7 p.m. PDT
Tuesday, May 15, 2018: Wellington Dukes vs. Chilliwack Cheifs. 7 p.m. PDT
Thursday, May 17, 2018: Wenatchee Wild vs. Wellington Dukes. 2 p.m. PDT