Dubuque Thunderbirds The Dubuque Thunderbirds were a Tier III junior ice hockey team based in Dubuque , Iowa that played in the multipurpose Five Flags Event Center from 2001 through 2010 . The Thunderbirds franchise was formed to fill a vacancy for Dubuque hockey fans after the original Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League relocated operations to Tulsa , Oklahoma as the Tulsa Crude . The Dubuque Thunderbirds were a locally owned franchise that played in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League and the Central States Hockey League . The Thunderbirds played for 9 seasons in the Dubuque Five Flags Civic Center arena , often averaging crowds of between 1600 and 2400 , which far surpassed all of the teams in both leagues . After the departure of the Fighting Saints , it took only a few short weeks for the upstart Thunderbirds to start finding success , which would follow the franchise its entire existence ; winning 4 league playoff titles , twice finishing as league playoff runner - up , and 7 invitations to the USA Junior Hockey National Tournament . Dubuque Thunderbirds in the Minnesota Junior Hockey League ( MnJHL ) . 2001 - 02 ( 30 - 11 - 1 ) 3rd place in MnJHL Quarterfinals ( best of 3 ) : 2 - 0 ( W ) vs St . Paul Lakers ( St . Paul , MN ) Semifinals ( best of 3 ) : 1 - 2 ( L ) vs NW Wisconsin Knights ( Spooner , WI ) 2002 - 03 ( 30 - 10 - 2 ) 2nd place in MnJHL Quarterfinals : bye Semifinals ( best of 3 ) : 2 - 0 ( W ) vs NW Wisconsin Knights ( Spooner , WI ) Bush Cup Finals ( best of 3 ) : 0 - 2 ( L ) vs Twin Cities Northern Lights ( Bloomington , MN ) USA Jr . C National Tournament Qualifier 2003 - 04 ( 30 - 6 - 3 - 1 ) 1st place in MnJHL Quarterfinals : bye Semifinals ( best of 3 ) : 3 - 0 ( W ) vs Twin cities Northern Lights ( Bloomington , MN ) Bush Cup Finals ( best of 3 ) : 2 - 1 ( W ) vs Minnesota Ice Hawks ( Rochester , MN ) USA Jr . C National Tournament Qualifier - National Semifinalist 2004 - 05 ( - - - ) _ _ place in MnJHL Quarterfinals : Semifinals : USA Jr . C National Tournament Qualifier 2005 - 06 ( - - - ) _ _ place in MnJHL Dubuque Thunderbirds in the Central States Hockey League ( CSHL ) . The Thunderbirds moved to the Central States Hockey League ( CSHL ) in 2006 ( Junior B ) . In 2007 , the entire CSHL was promoted to Junior A status . During their four years in the CSHL , the Dubuque Thunderbirds shattered individual franchise attendance records for the league , often recording close to four times the number of fans at home games than the second highest team . Because of their success on the ice and getting fans into the seats , the CSHL twice awarded the city of Dubuque the opportunity to host the entire Hurster Cup playoff tournament ( 2008 & 2009 ) , with local hockey fans filling the seats to support teams throughout the tournaments in games that did not even feature the home team . The Thunderbirds were incredibly successful in the CSHL . They compiled a 151 - 26 - 4 - 5 record , which would be the best in the league during their tenure , winning the Hurster Cup Playoff Championship three times in four years , and receiving four consecutive invites to the USA Junior National Tournament . 2006 - 07 ( 34 - 6 - 3 - 2 ) 2nd place in CSHL 2007 Hurster Cup Playoff Champions USA Jr . B National Tournament Qualifier 2007 - 08 ( 43 - 3 - 1 - 1 ) 1st Place in CSHL 2008 Hurster Cup Champions USA Jr . A National Tournament Qualifier 2008 - 09 ( 36 - 8 - 0 - 1 ) 3rd place in CSHL 2009 Hurster Cup Champions USA Jr . A National Tournament Qualifier 2009 - 10 ( 38 - 9 - 0 - 1 ) 2nd place in CSHL 2010 Hurster Cup Runner - up USA Jr . A National Tournament Qualifier Return of the Dubuque Fighting Saints . During the 2009 - 10 season , with a new 3 , 000 + seat ice arena in Dubuque under construction , it was announced that the Thunderbirds ownership group would dissolve the Dubuque Thunderbirds hockey franchise as they added several key partners to form a new ownership group , Northern Lights Hockey Foundation , in a bid to get a USHL expansion team . The Dubuque Fighting Saints returned to USHL play in the new Mystique Community Ice Center in the fall of 2010 .