PORT HARDY—For nearly 30 minutes Friday night, the Port Hardy Bulls and the Neucel Islanders of Port Alice were locked in a tight men's hockey league duel.
But when the Islanders lost it, they lost it like Wall Street in 2008.
The host Bulls scored six unanswered goals in the final 13:03, turning a tie game into an 8-2 laugher at Don Cruickshank Memorial Arena.
"We need help," Neucel defenseman Rory Bondue remarked during a late-game faceoff, when the Bulls (4-9-1) had pushed ahead 6-2.
Brad Zealand and Chad Mackenzie provided all the scoring for the winners, tallying four goals each. Richard Burgess assisted on two of them, including Zealand's go-ahead, one-timer at the head of the crease.
Until then, it had been a tightly played, defensive contest in front of goalies Colin Hunko of Port Hardy and Adam Hall of Port Alice.
The first score didn't come until midway through the first period, when Zealand struck for the Bulls. The Islanders (4-5-1) tied it at 16:42 of the period when Adam Contois converted the rebound of a Matt Senciw shot.
The tie lasted only eight seconds, as Mackenzie took the puck on the ensuing faceoff, walked it into the Neucel zone and rifled a wrist shot past Hall from the circle.
After six more scoreless minutes to open the second period, the Islanders' Adam Farrell went end-to-end and deked Hunko to the ice before lifting a short-range forehand shot that tied it 2-2.
But, again, the Islanders were unable to keep the game knotted. Just 24 seconds after Farrell's goal, Burgess won the puck out of the corner and put it on Zealand's tape at Hall's porch for the game-winner.
Shawn Desrosiers and Justin Reusch each added assists for the Bulls. Farrell had a helper for the Islanders in the only game in commercial league action last weekend.
B League
The Port McNeill Pioneers traveled to Port Hardy Saturday and edged the Smokers, 4-3. On Sunday, the league-leading Stars upended the West Coast Rookies. The game score was not available.
Men's Commercial Hockey League
Standings
Through Jan. 23
Team W L T Pts
Warriors 8 5 1 17
Mustangs 6 3 1 13
Islanders 4 5 1 9
Bulls 4 9 1 9
Friday, Jan. 18
Bulls 8, Islanders 2
Friday, Jan. 25
Bulls at Islanders, 8 p.m., Port Alice
Mustangs at Warriors, 9:15 p.m., Port Hardy
Saturday, Jan. 26
Islanders at Warriors, 4:45 p.m., Port Hardy
Sunday, Jan. 27
Bulls at Mustangs, 5:45 p.m., Port McNeill
Port Hardy 'B' Hockey League
Standings
Through Jan. 23
Team W L T Pts
Stars 9 2 1 19
Whalers 7 2 1 15
Smokers 6 5 1 13
Pioneers 4 2 1 9
Oilers 2 8 0 4
Mainline 2 2 0 4
Rookies 0 13 0 0
Saturday, Jan. 19
Pioneers 4, Smokers 3
Sunday, Jan. 20
Stars d. WC Rookies
Saturday, Jan. 26
Whalers vs. Smokers, 9:15 p.m., Port Hardy
Sunday, Jan. 27
Smokers vs. PH Oldtimers, 5:15 p.m., Port Hardy
PM Oldtimers vs. Stars, 7 p.m., Port McNeill
WC Rookies vs. Whalers, 8:45 p.m. Port Hardy