Gazette staff
PORT ALICE — Scott Williams snapped a 2-2 tie late in the first period Friday and the Port Hardy Bulls pulled away to a 6-3 win over the host Neucel Islanders in Men's Commercial League hockey action at Port Alice Arena.
The win was the first of two over the Islanders by the Bulls, who capped an 8-7 comeback win on Jordan Nicholson's goal with 33 seconds remaining in the teams' rematch Sunday in Port Hardy.
In other action last weekend, the Warriors scored all their goals in the second period to erase an early deficit and snare a 7-3 win over the visiting Port McNeill Ice Devils in Port Hardy.
Bulls 6, Islanders 3
Steve Verbrugge scored twice and Curtis Martyn, Barney Wilson and Chad Mackenzie found the net for the Bulls (9-7-1), who moved back into second place in the league. Williams had two assists and Bill Jacques and Jordan Campbell added singles, with Tyler Fuller picking up the win in goal.
Mike Schofield scored twice for the Islanders (5-10-2) and Adam Contois chipped in a goal. Contois, Jason Holmes and Mark Preston added assists; Adam Hall suffered the loss in net.
Warriors 7, Devils 3
Shelby Cockell's hat trick led the Warriors' second-half outburst after the Ice Devils jumped to a 2-0 lead at intermission.
Trygg Carlson added two goals and two assists and Eddie Walkus and Jake Colbourne scored as the Warriors (9-6-3) remained atop the league standings. Walkus had three assists and Cockell, Quinn Mellow, Arlo Kueber and Justin Reusch added singles. Jason Saunders got the win in goal.
Al Rushton and Reed Allen scored for the Devils (7-7-2), who saw their five-game unbeaten streak snapped. Rushton, Chris Dutcyvich, Jarvis Walsh and John Prachnau had assists.
Bulls 8, Islanders 7
Mackenzie scored four goals, including the tying score on a shorthanded tally, as the Bulls capped a comeback from a 7-5 deficit over the final eight minutes.
Shawn Patterson, Campbell and Williams also scored and Jacques and John Domalain each contributed three assists in the win.
Quinn Mellow, one of three local players borrowed by the Islanders when they arrived with just seven skaters, had a hat trick and Rory Bondue had two goals in the loss. Schofield had a goal and two assists and Bruce Murray added a goal and an assist.