Thunderbird Caller: Making Summer Splashes In Winston-Salem

Our favorite FPHL team has not been sitting in their nest all summer. In fact, just the opposite. The Carolina Thunderbirds have been moving and shaking since their season ended just a wee bit too early. Here’s a long overdue update on the Camel City Noisey Birds.

Playoffs

When last we turned our attention to the Birds, they had just taken care of the Port Huron Prowlers in the first round of the FHPL playoffs. That series win set the stage for a two game match up with the Columbus River Dragons.

Columbus got Carolina in the opening game and had an early lead in game two. With a late serge and two overtimes the Thunderbirds forced a game with a come from behind win to require the third, win or go home, game.

Carolina’s Viktor Grebennikov, Josh Koepplinger, Lucas Rowe, and Brandon Hussey scored in regulation and it was Petr Panacek who kept the lights on for one more game in overtime.

Game three was worth the price of admission to The Winston-Salem Fairground Annex.

The 4-3 triumph over the Columbus River Dragons in a winner-take-all game 3 of the Continental Division Final sent the Thunderbirds to their second Commissioner’s Cup Final in franchise history.

Dawson Baker, Josh Koepplinger with a power play goal and Gus Ford all lit the lamp in the 4-3 win. Greg Hussey blocked 41 of 44 in the win.

Next up for the Thunderbirds, a 6-2 Carolina Thunderbirds victory in Game 1 of the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup Final over the Hat-Tricks of Danbury.

Gus Ford was to thank for a major contribution with 2 goals. Petr Panacek’s 8th goal of the playoffs in the closing seconds of the 1st made the score 3-1 at the end of the first frame. Jan Salak, Jiri Pestuka, and Lucas Rowe all kept the Hat-Tricks on the hat rack with goals.

Game three was a fitting sequel to the Gus Ford show that was Game 1. Gord had a three goal night with support from Jiri Pestuka and Viktor Grebennikov who also got goals past Danbury Brian “Dad I’m In My Room” Wilson.

But Danbury wasn’t ready for summer vacation yet!

They would storm back in game three with a 6-2 at home. Then they strung together two more to take home the Commissioner’s Cup and send the Carolina Thunderbirds home to a sticky summer here in North Carolina.

Summer Personnel Moves

Right out of the gate, the Thunderbirds showed they were not going to spend the summer by the pool working on their tans.

On May 22, they announced their protected list which included forwards Jon Buttitta, Dawson Baker, Jan Salak, Josh Koepplinger, Jacob Schnapp, Gus Ford, Petr Panacek,  and Jiri Pestuka. Defensemen Joe Kennedy, Blake Peavey, Danny Martin, Viktor Grebinnikov, Tucker Firth also made the list. After his big late season run, goaltender Greg Hussey was included. As was Mario Cavaliere.

Unprotected players were thus eligible for selection by expansion teams in Baton Rouge or Wytheville in the expansion draft.

Boris Babik AND Matthew Bazarin went to Baton Rouge from Carolina. Wytheville took Justin “Bet You Can’t Eat Just One” Pringle.

Carolin’s other big summer time move was the selection of FPHL veteran defenseman Dmitri Danilyuk of Belarus. Danilyuk came from the Delaware Thunder in the 2023 FPHL Dispersal Draft.

Also picked up in the draft was Jacob “No Need For Vowels” Gnidziejko

The 29-year-old has 49 career points in 166 career games the Danville Dashers, Mentor Ice Breakers, Danbury Hat Tricks, Elmira Mammoth and Delaware Thunder.

Goalie Matthew Dunsmoor is another big summer roster move. The 22 year old Canadian has played with the Wellington Dukes of the OJHL and Wilfrid Laurier University.

Big Summer News

Summer isn’t summer without fireworks, hotdogs, sunburn, and big hockey news.

On July 12th the Carolina Thunderbirds announced their affiliation with the St. George Ravens of the Greater Metro Hockey League of Canada. The GMHL has teams based in 27 Canadian Cities and is a Junior A Hockey League.

Carolina will be able to draw developing players from St. George signed them to FPHL contracts.

Looking back, it really has been too long since we tipped the cap, and raised a frosty one to our frozen feathered friends in Winston-Salem. They made a great run at the FPHL Commissioner’s Cup playing a wild west, old school hockey game that we don’t see enough of here in 2023.

In the 2023-24, my absolute goal is to make it out to a game and check out the action. Winston-Salem is a favorite North Carolina town and there is little in the way of excuses for me not to make a day of it and go see a game.

The FPHL offers exciting hockey that is affordable, and exciting. With two new expansion teams in Wytheville, Virginia and Baton Rouge, Louisiana there cannot be a team too far from you.

If you catch yourself with the summer blues of missing hockey, you can check out all of the Carolina Thunderbird games on Youtube. Follow them on social media for updates and check out their merch store.