Hockey Programs

1992-93 Regular Season: Thunder Hawks vs. Flint Bulldogs      The Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks were coming off a successful inaugural season in 1991-92, winning the Colonial Hockey League's first Colonial Cup Championship. General Manager Gary Cook and Head Coach Bill McDonald returned for Season 2, and the team was now affiliated with the Ottawa Senators.       The 1992-93 Thunder Hawks remained in third place, but improved to 32-24-4, 13 points behind league-best Brantford. Attendance climbed to 1,783 per game, third-best in the league.      Thunder Bay scored the third-most goals that year, lighting the lamp 288 times. They were led on offense by former Detroit Red Wings prospect Jason Firth, with 36 goals and 100 points in 49 games. Center Todd Howarth was next in line with a career-high 37 goals and 79 points in 60 games. The other 20-goal scorers were Gary Callaghan (26) and Vincent Faucher (20). Defenseman (and former Montreal Canadi...

1996-97 Regular Season Thunder Cats vs. Saginaw Lumber Kings       The northwestern Ontario town of Thunder Bay was home to one of the original Colonial Hockey League franchises. Established in 1991 as the Thunder Bay Thunder Hawks, the team appeared in four of the first five Colonial Cup Finals, winning it all in 1992, 1994 and 1995. The team was also a Double-A farm club of the Ottawa Senators from 1993-96, switching their name to Thunder Bay Senators.       By 1996, the team renamed itself again, now going by Thunder Bay Thunder Cats. The team wore jerseys similar to the style the Washington Capitals wore at the time (same colors and striping pattern). Tom Warden was brought back as head coach, as was GM Gary Cook. The core of the team's successful run was intact as well: Jason Firth, Bruce Ramsay, Barry McKinlay, Mel Angelstad and Brant Blackned.       Despite dropping to third in the Western Division, the Thunder Cats improved ...