2026-27 season News Release support local hockey Share this Support Local Hockey: Dukes dominate in opening weekend September 9, 2026 By: Brock Ormond / BSEN The Wellington Dukes had a rousing start to the 2026-27 Ontario Junior Hockey League season last weekend, picking up a pair of victories over the Lindsay Muskies and Toronto Warriors. 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. — Another convincing win is in the bank for the Wellington Dukes on their season-opening weekend. Overage forward Zach Mascard and Quinte Red Devils graduate Maclean Chisholm each scored twice and Jayden Levesque added three points in his return to the Dukes from the BCHL in an 8-1 drubbing of the Toronto Warriors on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Pond The Dukes jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and didn’t look back, with Mascard burying his first of the season, followed by Blake Berthiaume and Mac Chisholm’s milestone first OJHL goal. Wellington continued to up the ante in the second, pelting Bogdan Bogomolov with close chances. For the second time in as many games to begin his OJHL career, Presley Kelly buried a goal, cutting across the high slot against Toronto defensive pressure and beating Bogomolov low on the blocker-side to make it 4-0. Three minutes later, Chisholm cleaned up the mess left off a long-distance shot from Ryland Harvey for his second of the day. The Warriors got one back in the last minute of play on a Henry Wang snapshot off a two-on-one rush, but the Dukes were simply too strong and too far ahead. Three more tallies in the third period sent the Dukes comfortably on their way. Mascard cashed in for the second time, Landon Marleau buried a rebound for his second of the year and Reid Crossman sunk home his first marker as a Duke to finish the scoring. Mascard, Marleau and Levesque all finished with three points on the game, while every skater except two registered at least one point and Dryden Riley stopped 17 shots. Wellington outshot Toronto 37-18 in the first-ever meeting between the two teams. The Dukes will try to keep the good early momentum going with a stop at Mississauga’s Port Credit Arena to face the Chargers at 7 p.m. — The Dukes are back in action tonight (Wednesday, September 9, 2026) in Mississauga against the Chargers, while the Trenton Golden Hawks begin their new campaign this coming Friday (September 11, 2026) with visits to Lindsay, and to the the Toronto Patriots on Saturday (September 12, 2026). — Visit the Belleville Sens website: www.bellevillesens.com Engage with the Belleville Sens on X: @BellevilleSens Like the Belleville Sens on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BellevilleSens Follow the Belleville Sens on Instagram: @BellevilleSens Listen to the Belleville Sens on Mixlr: www.bellevillesens.mixlr.comÂ
