By Alex Mahar [1]
BELLEVILLE – The Wellington Dukes took a 2-0 series lead on Sunday night in the County with a 4-3 overtime win over the Cobourg Cougars [2].
Dukes forward Jake Gagnon was the overtime hero with a perfect shot underneath the crossbar on Cougar goaltender Dershawn Stewart.
https://twitter.com/AlexMahar1/status/1234285409959583744
Wellington won game one on Friday night 3-0.
The intensity picked up in game two. The Cougars and Dukes exchanged 16 penalties in the first period, including a pair of game misconducts by Cougars forward Mac Lowry and defenceman Ben Brockway.
Brett Humberstone started the scoring in the second period with a wrist shot from the point for his first of the playoffs, to give the Dukes a 1-0 lead.
James White jumped in on the attack with his second of the postseason to put the Dukes up by two after two periods of play.
The Cougars offence came to life in the third period.
Mitch LaFay finally scored the Cougar’s first goal of the series at the midway mark of the third period. Moments later, Noah Vandervinne deflected a Nicholas Aromatario point shot past Dunsmoor to tie the game at two.
Two minutes after tying the game, TJ Koufis scored for the Cougars to take their first lead of the series.
To cap off a wild third period, Quinn Hanna scored from the point on the power-play to tie the game up at three and force overtime.
In the extra frame, Stewart was spectacular in net for Cobourg, until Gagnon walked into the slot and buried the winner.
The Dukes now lead the best-of-seven Ontario Junior Hockey League [3] east division semi-final 2-0.
The series will continue Monday night in Cobourg at 7 p.m.