Airdrie Thunder

Airdrie Thunder
City Airdrie, Alberta
League Heritage Junior B Hockey League
Division North
Home arena Ron Ebbesen Arena
Colours Red, Black, White
              
General manager Canada Larry Smith
Head coach Canada Derek Stamp
Website Airdrie Thunder website
Franchise history
?-present Airdrie Thunder

The Airdrie Thunder are a Junior "B" Ice Hockey team based in Airdrie, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the North Division of the Heritage Junior B Hockey League (HJHL). They play their home games at Ron Ebbesen Arena.

History

Division titles won: 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009
League Championships won: 1997, 2000
Alberta Provincial entries: 1997, 2000, 2005
Alberta Provincial titles: none (best finish: Silver in 2000)
Keystone Cup titles: none

Playing out of one of the HJHL's larger markets, the Thunder are perennially one of the top teams in the league. They developed an intense rivalry with their former divisional counterparts, the Okotoks Bisons. The Thunder handed the Bisons their only two losses in the 2005-06 season, while the four victories for Okotoks were the only four games the Thunder lost. The Bisons eliminated the Thunder in the league semi-finals.

The two rivals also met in the 2005 HJHL finals, with Okotoks again coming out the victors in a tough five game series. Despite losing the championship, the Thunder qualified for the Alberta Provincials, held in Calgary but failed to advance to the medal round.

Airdrie's best season to date was 1999-2000, when they captured their second league title in four years before going on to win the silver medal at the Alberta Provincial Junior B Hockey Championship, which was also hosted by the Thunder.

The Thunder have played in the North Division since 2011-12. In recent years the Thunder have developed a heated rivalry with the Red Deer Vipers. The Vipers and Thunder have now met in three consecutive playoff series. The Thunder knocked off Red Deer in seven games in the 2016 north semi-final. The Vipers have exacted revenge twice since, beating Airdrie in six games in the 2017 north semi-final and 2018 north final.

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes

SeasonGPWLTOTLPtsGFGAPIMFinishPlayoffs
2000-013828523612181131st, North---
2002-033627801551811002nd, SouthLost South Div. Finals
2004-0540281101572381253rd, NorthLost Finals
2005-063834400683109314152nd, South Lost Div. Finals, 0-4 (Bisons)
2006-0736247325320411612211st, CentralLost Round Robin Finals, 2-2 (Wranglers)
2007-0836288005621211917811st, FoothillsLost Div. Finals, 1-3 (Bisons)
2008-0936269015322312717752nd, SouthLost Div. Finals, 2-3 (Bisons)
2009-10362410205018210714781st, CentralLost Semifinals, 2-3 (Wranglers)
2010-1136231210471811369743rd, CentralLost Div. Semifinals, 2-3 (Thrashers)
2011-123820135045179128-4th, NorthLost First Round, ?-? (Colts)
2012-133818153241145125-3rd, North Lost Div. Semifinals, 2-3 (Red Deer Vipers)
2013-14361519-232141145-6th, NorthDid not qualify
2014-15382313-248152125-2nd, North Lost Div. Semifinals, 2-4 (Mountainview Colts)
2015-16382610-254193120-2nd, NorthWon Div. Semifinals, 4-3 (Vipers)
Lost Div. Finals 0-4 (Colts)
2016-1738278-357213131-2nd of 7, Nor
3 of 14 HJHL 		Lost Div. Semifinals, 2-4 (Vipers)
2017-1838239-450193131-2nd of 7, Nor
4 of 13 HJHL 		Won Div. Semifinals, 3-1 (Wranglers)
Lost Div. Finals, 2-4 (Vipers)

See also

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