TEAMS

HISTORY

The Mon Valley Youth Hockey Association began in 1965 when the Rostraver Ice Garden opened.  The organization was the first "new" member of the PAHL, joining the original two associations for a 3-team league.  The Thunder have played at the same rink for its entire existence and are now the longest-running association in the PAHL.

The Rostraver Ice Garden naturally has an "old barn" feel to it, but the facility has undergone some changes over the years.

A restaurant overlooking the playing surface was added in 1995, which was known as Murph's Pub in connection to longtime owner Jim Murphy.  The restaurant closed briefly in the early 2020s but has since reopened as Bubba's Burgers.

A large portion of the building's vintage wooden ceiling collapsed under the heavy weight of melting snow after a winter storm in February 2010, forcing the Thunder to consider a relocation to the newly reopened Ice Mine in Connellsville.  But the rink reopened with a new outer shell eight months later, and the Mon Valley program gladly stayed at its original home.

In 2017, the Rostraver Ice Garden became the 2nd PAHL rink to win the NHL's "Kraft Hockeyville USA" contest.  That honor led to many more upgrades, including new lighting, safety netting, and lobby flooring. 

The property was purchased in 2022, and new naming rights rebranded the facility as the "CFS Bank Event Center."  The new ownership ensures that the vintage facility will continue to serve the Thunder and the PAHL for many years to come.

Two players entered the sport with the Mon Valley Thunder and went on to play in the NHL.  John Zeiler logged 90 games for the Los Angeles Kings from 2007 to 2011, and Logan Cooley made his debut in the NHL in 2023 with the Arizona Coyotes.