NEWS

Fans at the 2011 Dudley Hewitt Cup got their money's worth on Thursday.  The final pair of round robin games produced not only multiple overtime periods but dramatic finishes.

After Soo Eagles dispatched of the Wisconsin Wilderness in quadruple overtime by a 2-1 final, the stage was set for another exciting game between the pair of 2-0 teams:  The Huntsville Otters and Wellington Dukes.

The visitors got on the scoreboard first in the opening period.  Joe Zarbo jammed home a rebound late in the period for a 1-0 Dukes lead after 20 minutes.  Huntsville kept pressing in the second.  It
resulted in Bronson Kovacs picking up a big rebound, stuffing it past Jordan Ruby to tie the game 1-1. Wellington took the lead before the end of the second but not without some controversy.  Brian Bunnett
appeared to have his stick above the crossbar, but with the official on the goal line it was counted as a goal for a 2-1 Wellington lead after 40 minutes.

But in the third, the Otters kept pressing and were rewarded when Graham Yeo tied the game at 2-2 with still close to three quarter of the period remaining.

Regulation time ended deadlocked.

Lots of good scoring opportunities for both teams in the first overtime...but both Ruby and Thomas Shelley were equal to the task. The 974 in attendance at the Canada Summit Centre, fans of both teams, rose in unison at the start of the second overtime to salute their squads.  Still more close calls, great saves and just missed shots for both teams.

Then, the Otters Daniel Clairmont picked up a loose puck at centre, split his way between two Wellington defenders and flipped a high shot over Ruby to end it at 5:43.

The win puts the hosts directly in the final Saturday afternoon. Wellington will now take on the Soo in Friday's semi final.

NOTES:  Huntsville was 1 for 4 on the PP, Wellington 0 for 2....JORDAN REED was given a two minute minor and game misconduct for checking from behind at the 23 second mark of the second period...the DUKES gave up as many goals in the loss as they had combined in their past
two games (2 vs Wisconsin, 1 vs. Soo)

Be sure to stay tuned to www.ojhl.ca and www.dudleyhewittcuphuntsville.com for up-to-date information, as well as watch tomorrow night's (Friday, April 22) semi-final game between the Soo Eagles and Wellington Dukes, live at www.dudleyhewittcup.insinc.com/2011.