Ice hockey: Junior round-up

This was Bears' second win over Rapiers after winning 4-3 at Ice Sheffield three weeks ago.

Bears took advantage of the first powerplay of the game when Rapiers were caught of having too many players on the ice at 04.15. Twenty seven seconds later Robert Dowd fired Bears ahead. It was 2-0 at 14.01 when Dowd scored a second powerplay goal.

A third powerplay goal for bears came five minutes into the second period which was scored by Down for his hat trick marker. Sheffield cut the deficit three minutes lat er and a second followed in the 36th minute.

Bears responded by going two goals in front three minutes later from a Paul Smith strike.

Sheffield were pressing forward and pulled their netminder in favour of an extra forward. This backfired on them as Michael Farn scored into an unguarded Sheffield net with 18 seconds to go.

Still enough time for Bears to add to their tally when Anthony Price completed the scoring with five seconds remaining. This too an empty net goal as Sheffield still had no netminder on the ice.

Bears scorers: Robert Dowd 3+0, Paul Smith, Michael Farn and Anthony Price 1+1, Scott Harrison and John Elkins 0+1.

Billingham Falcons preceded Bears encounter when they entertained Sheffield Stormers in English Under 14 North A League. Stormers went ahead at 01.42 and after ten minutes led 4-0. The middle period brought Sheffield a further five in the first ten minute at that point in the match trailing 0-9. Falcons changed netminders bringing on Jayce Nunn for Chris Snaith, Snaith having faced 30 shots. Nunn conceded two goals in the first 50 seconds and coming on as Sheffield increased advantage to 11-0. Sheffield added only a single goal in the final period. Nunn doing well in that session turning away another 15 shots.

Falcons young squad gaining much valuable experience as the season goes along had a couple of chances to get on the scoresheet.

Stormers made it a weekend double as they travelled to Hillhead to tackle Whitley Mohawks the next day. They were even quicker off the blocks scoring at 10.34 and scored another four by the end of the first period. At 18.32 Sheffield went 6-0 ahead.

Mohawks pulled two goals back when Josh Buck and Jamie Tinsley found the back of the net respectively at 19.08 and 20.15. Sheffield were back among the goals two minutes later and led 9-2 after two periods.

In the final period Sheffield struck another five which could have been much more except for Daniel Smith in Mohawks net turning aside another 20 shots that rained in on his net. Stormers 14-2 victory took them to the top of the table.

Mohawks scorers: Josh Buck and Jamie Tinsley 1+0, Callum Watson 0+2.

Whitley Bay Arrows were in the lace city for an under 12 North A League match against Nottingham Tiger Cubs. Nottingham got off the mark at 10.32 and led 4-0 after six minutes and added a fifth before the first interval. Tiger Cubs rattled in another ten during the middle period. With the score at 11-0 at 21.12 Arrows swapped netminders Joseph Harley gaining some experience coming on for David Lawrence.

A further eight goals in the final period for a 23-0 scoreline. The young Whitley squad put up a brave effort against a strong Nottingham side who will be among the honours at the end of the season.

Sunderland Mohicans defeated Coventry Blaze 6-5 in Under 14 North b League. It was the second win for Mohawks after a 6-2 win over Blaze at Telewest Arena the previous week. Mohicans took the lead at 13-56 through Joshua Lalade and 18 seconds later Daniel Coffey doubled the lead. Blaze opened their account on the powerplay at 16.18 only for Mohicans to go 4-1 ahead at 26.26 following goals from Jake Shanks and Jake Roberts.

Coventry surprised Mohicans and pulled two goals back after 33.56. Jack Watkins netted a fifth Sunderland goal only for Blaze to hit back on 35.52. Lalade's second of the game restored Mohicans' two goal cushion but again Coventry would not lie down and with 01.26 left in the match the lead was cut to one.

Sunderland held on for their second win of the season.

Mohicans scorers: Joshua Lalade 2+1, Daniel Coffey, Jake Shanks, Jake Roberts and Jack Watkin 1+0.

Sunderland Tomahawks lost 2-1 at Nottingham Leopards in English Under 19 North A League. Leopards winning margin would have been bigger but for Mark Lee in Tomahawks net. Lee faced 50 shots deserved his side's man of the match award. Leopards took early lead only to be pegged back by a Jonny Heslop goal before the end of the first period. Nottingham found Lee difficult to beat and it was only late in the game that they managed to snatch the winner.

English National Hockey League North

Billingham Bombers made it two wins on the run with an 8-4 victory over Bradford Bulldogs at Forum Ice Arena on Sunday. It was the first in the league and a deserved one. Stephen V Johnson and Simon Hehir were making their first appearances of the season.

Simon Burns had been released and transferred to rivals Whitley Warriors. Ian Richardson had also signed but changed his mind and decided to remain with the club.

Jamie Patterson and Richardson were on target to put Bombers 2-0 ahead at 06.07. Bulldogs cut the deficit Finn Ari Nurmi before Paul Windridge and Johnson gave Billingham a 4-1 first interval lead.

Bradford took the middle period 3-1 to cut Bombers lead as Nurmi, Gavin Penn and Andy brown were on target. Scott Ward scoring Billingham's fifth in a 5-4 lead.

The break did Bombers good and after a pep talk from Coach Terry Ward Bombers scored another three from Hehir Johnson and Andrew Thornton to wrap up the points.

Bombers were without import defenceman Brion Perry for family reasons.

Bombers scorers: Stephen V Johnson 2+2. Paul Windridge 1+5, Scott Ward 1+2, Jamie Patterson and Simon Hehir 1+-. James McCabe 0+1.

Whitley Warriors suffered s third successive defeat going down 9-5 at Blackburn Hawks in English National Hockey League Cup North. Ben Campbell put Warriors in the lead in the first minute. Five minutes later Hawks led 2-1 and added a third at 12.43. Paul Graham tucked away Warriors' second two minutes later.

Hawks got the better of the second period after Bryan Dunn and Andrew Tindale had tied the scores for 4-4 at 32.18. Blackburn went 8-4 ahead with goals between 33.10 and 39.41, two short handed and two on the powerplay.

Simon Burns was playing his first game of the season and was replaced by Stephen Hoult for the final period. Despite being four goals adrift Warriors went searching for goals and scored almost immediately through Tindale. Could not find any more passed Hawks netminer Colin Downie. Hawks struck a ninth with two minutes left.

Warriors' scorers: Andrew Tindale 2+1. Bryan Dunn 1+2, Ben Campbell and Paul Graham 1+0, Andrew Robinson 0+2.

On Sunday Whitley play host to Sheffield Scimtars at Hillheads in a league game.

Weekend fixtures Sat: English Under 19 North A League - Sunderland Tomahawks v Nottingham Leopards (12pm).

English Under 12 North B League

Billingham Pumas v Flintshire Flyers (6.30pm).

English Under 10 North Challenge.

Billingham Coyotes v Flintshire Colts (4.30pm).

Sunday - Findus Challenger Cup

Edinburgh Capitals v Newcastle KBS Vipers (6pm);

Womens Premier League

Sunderland Scorpions v Swindon Top Cats (12pm).

English National Hockey League North

Whitley Warriors v Sheffield Scimtars (6.30pm).

English Under 16 North A League

Sunderland Arrows v Billingham Beats (6.30pm).

Whitley Tomahawks v Nottingham Cougars (12.15pm).

English Under 14 North A League

Blackburn Kestrels v Sunderland Commanchees (4.45pm).

English Under 14 North B League

Sunderland Mohicans v Sheffield Cyclones (4.30pm).

English Under 12 North A League

Sunderland Cherokees v Whitley Arrows (2.30pm).

All Sunderland IHC home matches are played at Newcastle Telewest Arena.