ROSTER NOTES: CURL SIGNED AS EBUG, BUNN STILL SUSPENDED

Winston-Salem, NC – The Carolina Thunderbirds have a few roster updates ahead of tonight’s game with the Danville Dashers.

Kelly Curl has been signed as an emergency back-up goaltender for tonight’s game with Christian Pavlas being loaned out and then placed on waivers by the Fayetteville Marksmen earlier this week.

Additionally, the FHL has ruled that Michael Bunn is still suspended from his actions on December 29th against the Mentor Ice Breakers. This news comes despite the Thunderbirds receiving verbal verification for the league office that Bunn’s suspension would be fulfilled after January 5th.

“Our player Michael Bunn, our organization and our fans are being punished by the league for information the league provided” team President and GM Scott Brand said. “Michael is extremely upset, he is 100% committed to the Carolina Thunderbirds organization, had he been given the correct information by the league office, he would have declined the offer to play in the SPHL.”

Bunn played two games for the Macon Mayhem on loan over the January 4th and 5th weekend while serving an FHL suspension. The FHL and SPHL do not have a standard agreement in place to honor each league’s contracts and transactions.

“We are very disappointed that the league office instructs us to do one thing and then changes the ruling” Brand continued. “When the officials who oversee league operations don’t give proper guidance to the people they govern, something must be changed. I don’t know if it’s on the administrative side or the personnel side but someone should be held accountable.”

Brand has said anything is up for discussion regarding this weekend’s games.

“I will meet with the team and coaching staff to determine our steps for this weekend, which may involve our playing Michael and taking the forfeit. Our success this year has been attributed to one thing- we are a team, we will make a decision as a team, we will lose as a team, win as a team and suffer any consequences as a team” Brand said.

On a final note, newly acquired defenseman Mike Baker will wear #23 with the Thunderbirds.