Thunder make one cut, one trade

Dan Hoehne’s return to health left Thomas Dombrowski feeling under the weather.
Dombrowski’s tenure in goal with the Borderland Thunder is over after just three games as head coach Dave Allison announced yesterday the netminder had been given his release.
“[Hoehne], for all intents and purposes, is going to play 90 percent of the games,” said Allison, whose team hosts the woeful K&A Variety Golden Hawks at the Ice for Kids Arena tonight at 7:30 p.m.
and again tomorrow at 2 p.m. in their last games before Christmas.
“It’s not fair to Thomas to keep him languishing on the bench,” said Allison. “This gives him a chance to go find somewhere else to play.
“We want to bring in a very young kid who can take over for Hoehne next year [when Hoehne’s junior eligibility runs out],” he added.
Hoehne was back in action this past Saturday against the Fort William First Nation North Stars after missing five weeks due to post-concussion syndrome.
Dombrowski was signed three weeks ago off the roster of the North Bay Skyhawks, the defending NOJHL champs, without having played a game for the Skyhawks this season.
He lost a 3-2 heart-breaker in overtime to Fort William in his debut Dec. 5, but struggled the following night in a 6-0 loss—giving up three goals on just eight firstperiod shots.
His final appearance was in a 5- 2 loss to the Stars this past Friday.
Overall, he went 0-3 for the Thunder with a 4.22 goals against average and a save percentage of .890.
Mark Buist of the Fort Frances Midget ‘AA’ Canadians, who stopped all three shots he faced in seven minutes of action during his lone appearance with the Thunder this season, will back up Hoehne for now, though Allison said the search would continue for a more veteran goalie.
Allison also announced forward Colten Steinhoff has been traded to the Golden Hawks in exchange for cash.
Steinhoff, who was acquired from Fort William on Nov. 17 in exchange for cash, had one goal and 20 penalty minutes in five games with the Thunder.
His last appearance with the team came Dec. 12 against the Stars, when he was ejected in the third period and subsequently suspended one game for being the third man in on a fight.
“Sometimes, it’s just a case of economics,” said Allison. “This trade gets him closer to home. I don’t think it was working out here for either side.”^The fourth-place Thunder (7-13- 1-1), who have lost five in a row, lead the last-place Hawks (2-23- 2)—on a 10-game losing streak after falling 10-2 to Fort William last night—by 10 points for the final SIJHL playoff spot.
Borderland also has five games in hand.
The Thunder are 4-0 against the Hawks so far this season, outscoring them 30-12, but the teams haven’t met since a 4-2 win by Borderland there Oct. 18.
The Hawks’ strength is their offensively skilled defencemen, where team scoring leader Jarris Blacksmith (20 points) and captain Vince Kurzewski (17 points) are ranked second and fifth in the SIJHL in defence scoring, respectively.
For the Thunder, forwards Ian Lockman (third man in) and Sean Councillor (third fight of the season) each will miss tonight’s game due to suspension after their actions in last Saturday’s game against the Stars.
Captain Josh McAndrew also will be out of the line-up with a wrist injury, but may be back for the Thunder early in the new year.
In related news, Josh Baxter will drop the puck in a ceremonial faceoff before the game in recognition of his two years of service as the Thunder’s first captain.
“Baxter brought a respect to the game and to his teammates and coaches that we’re trying to find in the young kids we bring in here,” said Allison.
“Hopefully, our team can come back with a deeper appreciation for their role with the team and within society,” he added. “As a team, we haven’t embraced that idea the way we should.”^As well, Sarah Hebert, who has returned home from university for the holidays, will fill her former role as national anthem singer before tonight’s game.