The Durham Thundercats kicked off their 2025–26 season last Friday night in emphatic fashion, dominating the returning Shelburne Muskies with a 13–0 win on home ice. It was a statement performance from a confident Durham squad — and a tough reintroduction for the Muskies, playing their first game back in the league.

First Period: 

Durham wasted no time getting on the board, as rookie Luke Eurig scored just 30 seconds into the game. Fellow rookie Jack Weiser followed up with the Thundercats’ second goal, and Trevor Hughson added another soon after. Weiser struck again late in the frame to make it 4–0. Durham dictated the pace from the start, pinning Shelburne in their own zone and outshooting them 11–4 through the first 20 minutes.

Second Period: 

Durham’s power play was unstoppable in the second frame. Luke Eurig scored twice on the man advantage, both assisted by Justin Graham, before Trevor Hughson added a shorthanded goal to make it 7–0.
Jack Weiser and Ryan Colquhoun added two more before the buzzer, sending the Thundercats to the locker room with a commanding 9–0 lead.

Third Period: 

There was no let-up in the third. Brody LeBlanc scored shorthanded early in the frame, followed by goals from Riley O’Connell, LeBlanc again, and Hughson, who completed his hat trick. The Thundercats finished the night with 43 shots on goal while holding the Muskies to just 14.

In Goal

Thundercats Vance Meyer stopped all 14 shots to record the shutout. At the other end, Shelburne’s goaltenders Gatlin Burt and Chris La Vine faced an onslaught of high-quality chances from Durham’s deep attack.

Special Teams Standouts

• Power-Play Goals: 2 (Eurig x2)

• Shorthanded Goals: 2 (Hughson, LeBlanc)
  Durham’s special teams were exceptional, scoring on both sides of the man advantage and keeping Shelburne off the board completely.

Top Performers

• Luke Eurig: Hat trick with two power-play goals

• Jack Weiser: Hat trick, two assists

• Trevor Hughson: Hat trick including a shorthanded goal

• Brody LeBlanc: Two goals, five assists

• Justin Graham: Four assists

• Vance Meyer: 14-save shutout

Final Thoughts

It was the perfect start to the season for the Thundercats, who looked confident, cohesive, and dangerous across all areas of the ice. For the Muskies, returning to league action after time away proved to be a tough test — and Durham made sure to remind everyone why they’re one of the teams to beat this year.

Final Score: Durham Thundercats 13 – Shelburne Muskies 0
Shots on Goal: Durham 43 – Shelburne 14
Power-Play Goals: Durham 2, Shelburne 0
Shorthanded Goals: Durham 2

By: Mara Cutting