Carolina Thunderbirds

Carolina Thunderbirds
founding	1981
resolution	1992
history	Winston-Salem Thunderbirds 1981–1982 Carolina Thunderbirds 1982–1989 Winston-Salem Thunderbirds 1989–1992 Wheeling Thunderbirds 1992–1996 Wheeling Nailers since 1996
Stadion	Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum
Location	Winston-Salem , North Carolina
Team colors	Red Black
league	Atlantic Coast Hockey League (1981–1987) All-American Hockey League (1987–1988) East Coast Hockey League (1988–1992)
Riley Cups	1988/89

The Carolina Thunderbirds were an American ice hockey franchise from Winston-Salem in the state of North Carolina , which was active in the East Coast Hockey League from 1988 to 1992 .

history

The franchise began playing in the newly established Atlantic Coast Hockey League in 1981 under the name Winston-Salem Thunderbirds . Following their premiere season , the team was renamed Carolina Thunderbirds. In the years that followed, the Thunderbirds became the ACHL's most successful team, winning the Bob Payne Trophy , the ACHL championship , in 1983, 1985 and 1986 . In addition, the Thunderbirds were the best team of the regular season four times in a row from 1983 to 1986. After the ACHL ceased playing in 1987, the team joined the All-American Hockey League , in which they also became champions right away. For the 1988/89 season , the Thunderbirds left the AAHL after only one year and moved to the East Coast Hockey League . Head coach was Brian Carroll , who was sacked after a few games. In their premiere season, the Thunderbirds just reached the play-offs, in which they, however, won the Riley Cup as the first team after victories over the Erie Panthers and Johnstown Chiefs .

From 1989 to 1992, the team played again under their founding name Winston-Salem Thunderbirds. Chris McSorley was the head coach . In the 1989/90 season , the Thunderbirds reached the play-offs with 82 points and also won the Henry Brabham Cup . In the semi-finals of the play-offs, the Nashville Knights was defeated, in the finals of the Riley Cup Winston-Salem was defeated by the Greensboro Monarchs in five games. The following season ended disappointingly for the team, with the Thunderbirds missing the finals with 43 points. In the 1991/92 season , the Thunderbirds were able to qualify again for the play-offs, but were eliminated in the first round. before she was relocated to Wheeling , West Virginia in 1992 and henceforth took part in ECHL gaming operations under the name Wheeling Thunderbirds .

Team records

Career records (Carolina Thunderbirds, ECHL)

Games: 60 Bob Wensley

Goals: 30 / Brian Hannon

Assists: 39 Blair McReynolds

Points: 67 / Brian Hannon

Penalty minutes: 192 Michel Lanouette

Career records (Winston-Salem Thunderbirds, ECHL)

Games: 117 John Devereaux , Brent Fleetwood

Goals: 63 Troy Vollhoffer

Assists: 86 John Devereaux , Joe Ferras

Points: 148 Joe Ferras

Penalty minutes: 345 Darren Schwartz

Web links

• The Internet Hockey Database Statistics Carolina / Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (ACHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Player List Carolina / Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (ACHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Statistics Carolina Thunderbirds (AAHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Player List Carolina Thunderbirds (AAHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database Statistics Carolina Thunderbirds (ECHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Player List Carolina Thunderbirds (ECHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database Statistics Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (ECHL)
• The Internet Hockey Database - Winston-Salem Thunderbirds (ECHL) Player List