DEH GAH GOT'IE KOE/FORT PROVIDENCE - Victory was sweet for the Fort Providence Bulls over the weekend as they turned the tables on a long time rival.

The Bulls won their hometown Kingland Ford Rec Hockey Tournament in a fast paced game against Fort Simpson's Nahanni Inn Flyers on Feb. 21.

Playing in front of a hometown crowd the Fort Providence Bulls won the Kingland Ford Rec Hockey Tournament, team members include, from left, back row: Jeff Clemens, Rodney Bonnetrouge, Kiel Krutko, Angus Black, Michael Krutko, Michael Vandell and coach Al Larocque; front row: Nick Minde, Philip Junior Liske, Cameron Sapp, Lance Lennie, Ryan Badger and Emery White. - Roxanna Thompson/NNSL photo

"It feels good to win," said Michael Vandell, one of the Bull's defensemen.

The win was a reversal of fortunes for the Bulls who came in second a month earlier at the Fort Simpson Men's Recreational Hockey Tournament after losing 5-3 to the Flyers.

The Bulls went undefeated winning 6-0 against the Tli Cho Warriors, 5-0 against the Fort Smith Rapids and 4-1 against the Flyers during round robin play. Heading into the playoffs the Bulls were ranked first followed by the Rapids in second and the Flyers in third.

However, the tournament wasn't without its problems. A Hay River team scheduled to play was a no show. The Tli Cho Warriors forfeited during the round robin because of troubles with player retention.

Despite forfeiting, the Warriors borrowed four players to supplement their remaining five in order to play the Bulls for fun in the semi-finals. The Bulls won in a shut-out 2-0.

After the Flyers beat the Fort Smith Rapids in the other semi-final.

The Flyers breezed to a 5-1 victory. Near the end of the game things got physical when a Rapids player cross-checked Chris Stipdonk from behind and punched him in the back of the head knocking him unconscious in retaliation for an earlier in-game collision.

Stipdonk was back in the line-up on Sunday as fans packed the stands to watch the Bulls and the Flyers in the finals.

The Bulls started the game with two goals in the first period scored by Cameron Sapp and Emery White. The Bulls continued to shut the Flyers out as Michael Krutko scored two back-to-back goals in the second period bringing the score to 4-0. The Bull's Nick Minde scored a fifth goal before Greg Hopf got one to put the Flyers on the scoreboard at 5-1.

In the third period White score again before the Flyer's Taylor Speed brought the score to 6-2. With just over a minute left on the clock Sapp scored his second goal of the game bringing the final score and the tournament victory to the Bulls at 7-2.

The Flyers provided the toughest competition in the tournament for the Bulls, said Michael Vandell.

"They put up a fast, tough pace. They are constantly going," Vandell said.

In the finals the Flyers were even tougher than they'd been in the round robin.

"They skated right to the end," he said.

The Bulls stood up against the onslaught because of a team effort, said Vandell.

"Our guys were good. They were skating and clicking right on the tape. It makes a big difference," he said.

Vandell also gave credit to the team's goalie Lance Lennie who only let in three goals all weekend.

"He was solid and on his game," said Vandell.

Playing on the home ice and being backed by fans that packed the stands during all of the Bull's games also helped, he said.