The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League champion Soo Thunderbirds hit the ice at 6:00 p.m (EST) on Thursday, May 19th in Estevan, Saskatchewan  to open up action at the Centennial Cup against the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League’s finalists, the Flin Flon Bombers.

Flin Flon are the SJHL finalists, who dropped a hard-fought seven-game Saskatchewan final to the Centennial Cup host Estevan Bruins.

Watch game one live HERE.

Soo Thunderbirds
​Head coach: ​Cole Jarrett

Regular season record: 3​8–​5-2-3 (​1st overall)

Playoff record: ​12-3

Leading scorer:
​Cooper Foster, (F)
GP: ​38 G: ​18 A: ​42 PTS: ​60 (​Regular Season)

​Michael Chaffay, (F)
GP: 1​5 G:​ 12 A: ​11​ PTS: ​23 (Playoffs)

Leading scorer:
​Andrew Gibson, (D)
GP: ​40 G: ​21​ A: 3​0​ PTS: ​51​ (Regular season)

Leading goaltender:    
Noah Metivier
GP: ​ W: 11 L: ​10 AVG.: 2.​08​ SV%: .9​24​ SO: 2 (Playoffs)
GP: ​27 W: 2​0​ L: ​7​ OT/SL: 2 AVG.:​​​ 1.88​ SV%: .92​2​ SO: ​1​ (Regular season)

Flin Flon Bombers
Head coach: Mike Reagan

Regular season record: 34-21-2-1 (5th overall)

Playoff record: 11-7

Leading scorer:
Drew Kuzma, (F)
GP: 18 G: 9 A: 8 PTS: 17 (Playoffs)

Zak Smith, (F)
GP: 18 G: 9 A: 8 PTS: 17 (Playoffs)

Leading scorer:
Xavier Lapointe, (D)
GP: 58 G: 19 A: 31 PTS: 50 (Regular season)

Leading goaltender:    
Cal Schell
GP: 18 W: 11 L: 7 AVG.: 2.13 SV%: .934 SO: 2 (Playoffs)
GP: 41 W: 25 L: 12 OT/SL: 2 AVG.: 2.39 SV%: .923 SO: 7 (Regular season)