The tournament season continues during the close season and Sunderland were represented at the Peterborough U14 tournament at the weekend, Commanches participating in the eight-team event at the Planet Ice Arena.

Commanches finished fifth and also had the unenviable record of being the most penalised team picking up 91 penalty minutes. Their fifth/sixth place play-off tie brought them up against North Ayr Stars. Two players from both sides got their marching orders from referee Terry Young in separate incidents.

Callum Pattison (Sunderland) and Ayr's Craig Higgin were first to go after 02.29 on game misconducts for roughing. Stars took the lead 26 seconds later.

The second incident brought Aiden Parker (Sunderland) and Scott Beveridge (Ayr) leave the match, Parker a five plus game misconduct for roughing and Beveridge match penalty for fighting at 11.24.

There were other players involved at the same time in the fracas, but no other penalties called.

There was a ten minutes delay as Beveridge was a netminder. Under EIHA rules they are allowed time to dress another netminder.

Daniel Murdy was denied by the post five minutes later. Ayr went 2-0 ahead when Michael McAllister drilled the puck home at 27.33. Commanches were soon on level terms with a brace from Jimmy Moutrey five minutes later.

North Ayr almost snatched a winner in the last minute only for the post to keep the puck out. This meant sudden death penalty shots and Commanches went ahead when Nathan Salem converted the second shot. Ayr drew level with their second shot. Both teams missed two each before Danny Pye tucked away Commanches' second on their fifth.

Thomas Murdy saved Ayr's next penalty shot which gave his side fifth place.

The two teams met in the group stage and as before Commanches were behind. North Ayr took a 2-0 lead after 12 minutes and Aiden Parker tied the scores with two goals in 69 seconds for 2-2 by 22.22.

Moutrey gave Sunderland victory with a last minute goal.

Sunderland did not do too well in their next two group matches going down 0-4 and 0-5 to Kingston Aeros and Swindon Pumas (eventual winners) respectively.

Positional play-off round brought Commanches up against hosts Peterborough Caribous. Despite the early start on the second day Commanches won by the only goal of the game which was scored by Daniel Murdy at 26.40.

If not for Caribous netminder the winning margin would have been much bigger as Sunderland outshot their hosts 25-5.

The victory therefore meant Sunderland went into fifth/sixth place play-off against North Ayr.

Commanches: Jimmy Moutrey 3+0, Aiden Parker 2+1, Daniel Murdy 1+2, Nathan Salem 1+1, Daniel Rye 1+0.

Results Group A: Peterborough Caribous 2, Nottingham Tigers 3; Telford Venom 1, Chelmsford Braves 3; Peterborough 1, Telford 3; Chelmsford 2, Nottingham 2; Peterborough 0, Chelmsford 3; Telford 1, Nottingham 2.

Group B: Sunderland Commanches 3, North Ayr Stars 2; Swindon Pumas 2, Kingston Aeros 3; Kingston 4, Sunderland 0; North Ayr 1, Swindon 2; Swindon 5, Sunderland 0; North Ayr 1, Kingston 0.

Positional play-offs

Telford 1, North Ayr 3; Sunderland 1, Peterborough 0; Chelmsford 0, Swindon 5; Nottingham 4, Kingston 3.

Final placed play-offs

7/8 Telford 3, Peterborough 0; 5/6th North Ayr 3, Sunderland 4 (after pen shots); 3/4th Chelmsford 1, Kingston 4; final - Swindon 5, Nottingham 1.

Fairplay Trophy - Chelmsford Braves. Best forward Daniel Hammond (Chelmsford).

Best defenceman, Neil Brown (Telford).

Best netminder, Matthew Turner (Kingston).

Durham Dragons and Whitley Bay Islanders met at Hillheads in a thrilling recreation match which brought 15 goals. Dragons got the better of an early start and were 3-0 ahead after ten minutes with goals from Peter Herkes, Jonathan Hesler and Adam McDonough.

Islanders stepped up a gear and equalised by the first break with Steven Stocks, Joe Robinson and Tom Coulson finding the net.

McDonough restored Durham's lead a minute into the middle period but back came Whitley and equalised through David Cowey a minute later. A Stu Davis brace just before the second interval gave Whitley a 6-4 lead.

Three minutes into the final period Stocks netted his second as Islanders led 7-4. Durham hit back with two goals in a minute through Hesler and McDonough for his hat-trick marker at 53.01.

Cowey regained the two-goal cushion in the 55th minute. At 57.52 Herkes's second of the game brought Dragons within one and they pulled their netminder to find the game's tying goal, but with no success.

Herkes was Dragons' man of the match and Terry Wilkinson was Islanders' recipient.

Dragons: Adam McDonough 3+0, Peter Herkes 2+3, Jonathan Hesler 2+0, John Hutley 0+4, Dave Franks, Andrew Snook, Stephen Hagar, Michael Vasey, Billy Snook 0+1.

Islanders: Stu Davis 2+4, Steven Stocks, Dave Cowey 2+2, Joe Robinson, Tom Coulson 1+0, Michael Brown, Colin Davison, Tom Glazzard, Terry Wilkinson 0+1.