By Matt Stefano
The schedule is out!
Your Soo Thunderbirds will officially kick off their 2022-2023 regular season on Friday, September 9, when they take on their cross-border rivals the Soo Eagles at the John Rhodes Community Centre, beginning at 7:00 p.m.
The Thunderbirds, who are the defending NOJHL champions, will play a total of 56 games during the 2022-2023 season, including 28 at home and 28 on the road.
The 2022-2023 season will also be the Thunderbirds 24th season in the NOJHL.
DID YOU KNOW?
The last time the Soo Thunderbirds opened up their regular season against the Soo Eagles, was back on September 7, 2019, when they defeated the Eagles by a score of 7-2 at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
That night, forward Matthew Bazarin notched a pair of goals while forward Nick Smith scored once on the power play and set up another.
Defenceman Nolan Ford and forward Tyler Savard (Now with the Soo Greyhounds) also had multi-point efforts that night with two assists each.
BACK IN THE NEST
On Friday, the Soo Thunderbirds have announced that defenceman Kaden Dundas and forward Samuel Lake will both be returning to the club for the 2022-2023 season.
Dundas, who will be entering his third season with the Soo Thunderbirds, scored 5 times and set up 18 others in 44 regular season games with the Thunderbirds last season.
The Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native then led all NOJHL blueliners in scoring during the 2022 postseason with 14 points, including 2 goals and 12 assists.
Lake, who will be entering his second season with the Soo Thunderbirds, found the back of the net 11 times and set up 10 others in 43 games with the Thunderbirds last season.
Lake was also the only rookie on the Soo Thunderbirds to record a hat trick for them last season, which came back on September 26, 2021 in a 5-4 victory over the Greater Sudbury Cubs at the John Rhodes Community Centre.
WHERE TO FIND THE SCHEDULE?
The full schedule of the Soo Thunderbirds 2022-2023 regular season can be viewed right here at: https://www.soothunderbirds.com/stats/schedule/5/32/all-months
(Photo credit to Bob Davies)
