If there was a video posted online of Matt Colbourne’s performance in Port aux Basques on Saturday night, it might go viral.
The Corner Brook Royals forward hung five goals and three assists on the Mariners in a 9-5 victory at the Bruce II Sports Centre to finish the West Coast Senior Hockey League double round robin semifinal at 4-0.
The Stephenville Jets and Mariners, both 0-2 obviously, will have a home-and-home next weekend to determine who plays Corner Brook in a best-of-seven league final for the Cliff Gorman Memorial Cup.
Aside from Colbourne’s heroics, the Royals also single markers from Josh Smith, David Budgell, Adam Guy and Alex Hillier.
League scoring champion Jasper Dicks had a goal and two assists for the Mariners, with Robert Parsons, Matt Ryan, Greg Edgar and Paul Barter also finding the back of the net.
The first period came and went innocuously enough, as the two teams traded goals — first Edgar for the Mariners, from Dicks and Brett Robinson at 9:01, then Guy for the Royals, with Tyler Hunt and Colbourne drawing the helpers at 19:08.
Things started to pick up steam in the second, with Colbourne notching his first of the night, at 3:30, from Smith and Budgell. That was quickly followed by a goal from Hillier, at 4:02, with Hunt providing the assist.
Dicks replied for Port aux Basques 40 seconds later, from Robinson, before Robert Parsons tied the game again at 13:32. Drew Nadon and Luke Parsons supplied the helpers.
Colbourne recorded his second, at 14:40, to send the Royals into the intermission with the 4-3 advantage. Guy and Smith assisted on the play.
The third period was an explosion of offence and aggression, with a 10-minute misconduct to Mariners’ Matt Ryan for a hit to the head appearing to be the catalyst for the latter.
Roughly five minutes later, Nathan White, Scott Francis and Steve Lomond of the Mariners, along with Royals Alex Hillier and Tristan Dower-Nichols, were all ejected for fighting.
As for the offence, it was Ryan tying the game 4-4 for the Mariners at 3:24 of the period, from Robert Parsons, before Barter put them up a goal at 4:28, from Dicks.
It was all Royals — and mostly Colbourne — after that, as he completed a hat trick at 9:25, assisted by Scott Delaney and Lucas Wiseman, before adding another, from Smith, at 10:53.
Smith then scored at 11:16, from Colbourne and Guy.
After the brawl died down, Budgell continued the onslaught for the Royals, scoring at 15:45, from Colbourne.
Colbourne then capped it with an empty-netter, at 17:24, with Budgell drawing the assist.
Bradley Power turned aside 47 of 52 shots for the win in goal, while Ryley Nadon took the loss after allowing eight on 39. Byron Francis came in for two minutes of mop-up and stopped the only shot he faced.
Before the game, it was announced to the home crowd that Mariners’ Dicks was named team MVP, while Nadon was chosen as the league’s top goalie.
On Friday night in Corner Brook, the Royals edged the Jets 3-1.
Stephen Gillard, Delaney and Budgell lit the lamp for the victors.
Nathan Ellsworth was the lone marksman for the Jets in the loss.
Brad Dyke earned the win in net, making 30 saves in the process, outdueling Ryan Hancock, who blocked 35 of 38.
Semifinal round action resumes 8 p.m. at the Stephenville Dome on Friday night as the Jets host the Mariners.
