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.
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 The Thunderbirds moved to the Central States Hockey League (CSHL) in 2006 (Junior B).
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.
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 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.