2024-25 Playoffs Round One - Game One Results

The Thunderbirds took a commanding step forward in the first round of the playoffs, defeating the Knights 7-3 in Game One of their best-of-three series. With the win, the third-seeded Thunderbirds are now one victory away from the finals, where the top-seeded Chargers await.  

The game opened with Thunderbirds’ forward Anthony Theuer setting the tone early, scoring the first goal of the night. The Knights responded quickly, as Trei Cools buried a setup from Marty Witberg to tie the game. However, Theuer struck again before the first intermission, giving the Thunderbirds a 2-1 lead after one.  

The second period saw the Knights momentarily take control. Witberg tied the game with an assist from Zeljko Sreckovic, and just minutes later, Cools notched his second of the night off another feed from Witberg, putting the Knights ahead 3-2. However, the Thunderbirds had a quick response of their own. Jeff Fleshner, assisted by Theuer, scored twice in a span of just ten seconds to give the Thunderbirds a 4-3 lead heading right before the final period.  

Both teams battled through adversity in the second period. Witberg and Fleshner each served separate delay-of-game penalties, but both penalty-killing units held strong, preventing any power-play goals.  

The Thunderbirds took complete control in the third period, adding three more unanswered goals. Alex Ernsberger scored twice, first from Fleshner and then from Theuer, extending the lead to 6-3. Theuer capped off his stellar performance with his third goal of the night, securing the 7-3 victory.  

Knights’ goaltender Brendan Nienhaus faced 27 shots and, despite the scoreline, made several key saves to keep his team in contention. The Knights also had to battle through some adversity, as Sreckovic suffered a minor injury and Cools dealt with chair troubles throughout the game.  

With the Thunderbirds leading the series 1-0, the teams will meet again on April 5, with the Thunderbirds hosting. A win for the Thunderbirds would send them to the championship round against the Chargers, while the Knights will fight to force a decisive Game Three.  

Three Stars of the Game:
 1st Star: Alex Ernsberger (2 goals)  
 2nd Star: Trei Cools (2 goals, 1 assist)  
 3rd Star: Anthony Theuer (3 goals, 2 assists)