The Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League Soo Thunderbirds have added their second netminder in the last two weeks with signing Sault Ste Marie, Ontario 18 year old Noah Zeppa to their 2021 – 2022 roster joining goaltender Noah Metivier from the GNML U18 Soo Greyhounds.

The 5’11” and 170 lbs left catching goaltender will hit the ice in the fall of 2021 after making stops in Chatham, Ontario and Hearst, Ontario during the 2019 – 2020 hockey season. In Chatham with the GOJHL Maroons, Zeppa saw action in four regular season games where he finished with a 3.96 goals against average and a save percentage of .897. With Maroons as a 17 year old, Noah’s record was 1-3-0 in 2019 – 2020. Zeppa also played between the pipes in Hearst with the Lumberjacks for five regular season games in the NOJHL. In five games, Zeppa’s record was 1-1-1 with a goals against average of 3.29 and .876 save percentage.

As a 16 year old, Zeppa was drafted by his hometown Soo Greyhounds in the second round with the 37th overall selection in the 2019 OHL U18 Priority Selection Draft.

“It’s great to bring add a great person and goalie like Noah to our program. He is highly motivated to come back home and show he can be an elite goalie. As a program we’re excited to be able to give our local players this opportunity to play at home in front of family and friends,” said Thunderbird general manager Jamie Henderson.

Noah told Saultsports.com that “it is obviously its a huge honour getting another chance to represent the Soo Thunderbirds organization and I want to thank coach Jarret and GM Jamie Henderson for this opportunity. I believe I can bring a leadership role to the team, being apart of many talented programs over recent years has really matured me and shown me what it takes to win at the Junior A level. I am very humbled and thankful to be back home playing as it means a lot to me having an opportunity to play hockey at home while going to school.”