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Carolina Thunderbirds 2021-2022 Season Thread

The Birds lost Friday and won on Saturday on a shootout. They the River Dragons again this weekend. Friday night will be in Columbus, GA and Saturday night will be at the Annex at 6:05.
 
Well I’ve already turned the game off. If you want to watch a winning team play, the Thunderbirds play at the annex tonight at 6:05 against the Columbus River Dragons. Parking is free just use the entrance across from the senior services lot or just walk over from the Wake MBB game when that’s finished. Getting close to a sell out so expect 2500+ fans tonight.
 
Well, the Birds suck so far this year. They started the season 2-5 and are currently 2nd to last in the league after losing both games this weekend to the River Dragons. This week they’ll play at the river dragons on Wednesday before coming back home to face the Danbury Hat Tricks on Friday and Saturday. Puck drops are the normal times and parking will be free in the LJVM lots.
 
Going to be at the game on Saturday. The GM is one of my daughter's goalie coaches, so I may have to give him some shit if they don't get things turned around soon.
 
redwing42 said:
Going to be at the game on Saturday. The GM is one of my daughter's goalie coaches, so I may have to give him some shit if they don't get things turned around soon.
Click to expand...

Yeah Kelly is a cool dude. He use to coach Wakes club team. It’s hard to tell if the team sucks because most of our team got called up to the SPHL since foreign players who went home during Covid can’t come back yet or that we hired a video coach who’s never been a head coach before.
 
Kelly ended up as the backup goalie for tonight's game. He did a very good job minding the bench door. :cool:

Annex was about 3/4 full for the game tonight, so pretty good crowd overall. Probably only about 5-10% of people were wearing masks, so if that is a consideration, keep it in mind. Thunderbirds came back from two goals down, but lost in OT. Gave up too many breakaways on bad turnovers at the offensive blue line.

Concessions were considerably lesser than in past seasons. Only the basics at the main stands, limited other offerings, no ice cream... but maybe vendors were a bit gun shy after the lack of home games last season. Still generally a good time, and I hope things continue to return to past form.
 
redwing42 said:
Kelly ended up as the backup goalie for tonight's game. He did a very good job minding the bench door. :cool:

Annex was about 3/4 full for the game tonight, so pretty good crowd overall. Probably only about 5-10% of people were wearing masks, so if that is a consideration, keep it in mind. Thunderbirds came back from two goals down, but lost in OT. Gave up too many breakaways on bad turnovers at the offensive blue line.

Concessions were considerably lesser than in past seasons. Only the basics at the main stands, limited other offerings, no ice cream... but maybe vendors were a bit gun shy after the lack of home games last season. Still generally a good time, and I hope things continue to return to past form.
Click to expand...

My 15 y/o son and I went to the game last night. First time we had been in two seasons given last year's cancellations due to COVID. We had a great time despite the T-Bird's sudden death loss in overtime. It was the first time they had ever lost in the 9 or 10 times we had seen them play over the last 3-4 seasons. It appeared to me that this year's team is not nearly as talented as the 2019 squad, but then that team was loaded and dominated everybody.

The Thunderbirds are a hidden gem. A great time for a very reasonable price.
 
The Birds won 2 of 3 this week with a win vs a Columbus and Danbury. However, last night the team fell to Danbury in OT. The boys are starting to buzz along with the atmosphere at the annex. The team has a much needed week off and will head up to Port Huron on Dec. 9 & 10 to face the Prowlers before coming back for a game on Dec. 11 also against the Prowlers.

Attendance
Friday - 2,127
Saturday - 2,566
 
Below is the attendance for the first month of the season. So far most teams are doing well and turning a profit except for Delaware (shocker). Anything over 750 fans a game means the team is turning a profit assuming they have done decent on the sponsorship side.

GP AVG Total
1Binghamton - 5 - 3,622 = 18,110
2Carolina - 7 - 2,430 = 17,013
3Columbus - 4 - 2,254 = 9,017
4Danbury - 4 - 1,150 = 4,600
5Port Huron - 4 - 1,140 = 4,561
6Watertown - 5 - 798 = 3,991
7Delaware - 5 - 675 = 3,375
 
BREAKING NEWS: Biloxi, Mississippi and Elmira, New York will be joining the FPHL for the 2022-2023 Season.

Biloxi is having three neutral site games this month to gauge fan interest. The Biloxi team spearheading the operation is Port Huron Goon Joe Pace Jr. and he’s been doing an excellent job. Biloxi will join the FPHL next year. Also, Elmira will be rejoining the FPHL as late as next season And maybe even sometime after the holidays. The new ownership group up there is excited to get hockey back in the arena. It’s turns out city council just wanted Robbie Nichols and the enforcers out of the building.

Long term plan from the Birds former GM and current River Dragons GM is to have a North and South division. He also said look out for more teams next year than just Biloxi and Elmira. Maybe a Cornwall rejoining. Who knows but exciting stuff for the FPHL and the league is getting closer and closer to competing against the SPHL
 
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The Birds went 2-1 over the weekend against the Port Huron Prowlers. The team will play the Columbus River Dragons in Biloxi Miss. on Friday the 17th and will serve as the “home” team before heading back to Columbus on Saturday the 18th. It sound like Biloxi will break the FPHL attendance record with over 5,000 tickets already sold to the neutral site game.

Attendance
Saturday - 2500ish
 
Why is Delaware so outmatched in the Federal Hockey League? I guess I'm used to seeing the parity of bigger leagues. Their numbers are atrocious!

2-33-1, -107 GD, and currently on a 15 game losing streak.
 
They’re the team that sells their best players to the other teams in the league to stay afloat therefore always losing production. They’re partially financed by the league because they were suppose to make 8 teams until Elmira got kicked out of their arena last minute over the summer. Delaware will fold at the end of the season and the league will add Elmira (new ownership), Biloxi, and a rumored Michigan team (Traverse City).
 
My “brother” got banned for an unknown reason. I will be taking his place. You’re welcome
 
RIP WSSU, may your thunderbirds continue to bring you great joy
 
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