The team is picked, the coach is in place, the captains have been selected and now all that’s left to do is drop the puck for the Albert Lea Thunder.

The puck will drop tonight in Blaine in the NAHL Showcase where the Thunder will face the Kenai River Brown Bears in the new Albert Lea team’s inaugural game.

“Finally,” head coach Brad Zangs said.

The road getting to the first game has had its ups and downs for the first-year franchise and the NAHL Showcase will provide the team the opportunity to see how it stacks up against the rest of the NAHL. The Thunder will play four games in four days beginning at 7 p.m. with the Brown Bears. Kenai River is a team from Soldotna, Alaska.

Albert Lea will play the Wenatchee (Wash.) Wild Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Wichita Falls (Texas) Wildcats Friday at 4:15 p.m. and the Motor City (Detroit) Machine Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at the Schwan’s Super Rink in Blaine.

“The practices have been great,” Zangs said. “I’m hoping the boys will do everything we’ve worked on.”

Sept. 17

Albert Lea Thunder at Kenai River Brown Bears, 7 p.m., in Blaine

Sept.18

Wenatchee Wild at Albert Lea Thunder, 7:30 p.m. in Blaine

Sept. 19

Albert Lea Thunder at Wichita Falls Wildcats, 4:15 p.m., in Blaine

Sept. 20

Motor City Machine at Albert Lea Thunder, 5:30 p.m. in Blaine

Albert Lea Thunder schedule for Sept., Oct. and Nov.

Sept. 27

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 4

Alexandria Blizzard at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 10

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 11

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 17

Alexandria Blizzard at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 24

Albert Lea Thunder at Alexandria Blizzard, Runestone Community Center, 7 p.m.

Oct. 25

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Oct. 31

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Nov. 1

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 7 p.m.

Nov. 7

Alexandria Blizzard at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Nov. 8

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Nov. 9

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 5 p.m.

Nov 14

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 7 p.m.

Nov. 15

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 7 p.m.

Nov. 22

Alexandria Blizzard at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Nov. 28

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 29

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7 p.m.

Nov. 30

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 4

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 5

Albert Lea Thunder at Alexandria Blizzard, Runestone Community Center, 7 p.m.

Dec. 6

Albert Lea Thunder at Alexandria Blizzard, Runestone Community Center, 7 p.m.

Dec. 7

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 12

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 8:15 p.m.

Dec. 13

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 18

Albert Lea Thunder at Alexandria Blizzard, Runestone Community Center, 7 p.m.

Dec. 19

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 20

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 7 p.m.

Dec. 31

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 3

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Jan. 9

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 7 p.m.

Jan. 16

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Jan. 23

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Jan. 24

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 7 p.m.

Jan. 30

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 31

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 6

Alexandria Blizzard at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 8

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 2 p.m.

Feb. 13

Springfield Jr. Blues at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 14

Springfield Jr. Blues at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15

Albert Lea Thunder at Owatonna Express, Four Seasons Centre, 5 p.m.

Feb. 20

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 21

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

Feb. 22

Owatonna Express at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 5 p.m.

Feb. 27

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7:30 p.m.

Feb. 28

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7 p.m.

March 6

Albert Lea Thunder at Springfield Jr. Blues, Nelson Center, 7:30 p.m.

March 7

Albert Lea Thunder at Springfield Jr. Blues, Nelson Center, 7 p.m.

March 8

North Iowa Outlaws at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7:30 p.m.

March 13

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7:30 p.m.

March 14

Albert Lea Thunder at Bismarck Bobcats, VFW All Seasons Arena, 7 p.m.

March 20

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

March 21

Bismarck Bobcats at Albert Lea Thunder, Albert Lea City Arena, 7 p.m.

March 27

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 7:30 p.m.

March 28

Albert Lea Thunder at Alexandria Blizzard, Runestone Community Center, 7 p.m.

March 29

Albert Lea Thunder at North Iowa Outlaws, North Iowa Ice Arena, 5 p.m.

The players are chomping at the bit to get on the ice and play someone other than each other after 3 1/2 weeks of practice.

“I’m excited to start things off,” said Thunder forward and captain Danny Wood. “We’ve had a lot practice and it’d be nice to get out there and play and beat up on some teams.”

There are still some unknowns with team, but the Thunder are not unlike any other Junior A hockey team where rosters change yearly.

“This is going to be a really good indicator for us,” Wood said. “It’s going to be tough. Four games in four days isn’t easy, it’s physically and mentally demanding so we want to be on the ball.”

Wood played in the Eastern Junior Hockey League and is one of the veterans on the Thunder squad. Some of the other veterans include: Colin Moberly, who played in the Ontario Provincial Junior Hockey League, Niko Kapetanovic, who spent time in the NAHL with the Bismarck (N.D.) Bobcats last season, and John Affolter, who played in the Central States League last season.

“This weekend will give us a good parameter on what we need to improve on and what our strengths and weaknesses are,” assistant coach Brian Murphy said.

Murphy said the teams has a lot of speed and that will definitely be a strength, but one of the most important things the team can come away with from the Showcase will be the experience. The Thunder is young this year, 11 players are 18 or younger and those players will learn quickly what it is like to play in the NAHL this week.

“I hoping that we come out with the knowledge of Junior A hockey,” Zangs said. “No. 1 it’s all mental. Four games in four nights — it’s going to be tough for these kids.”

Murphy and Zangs don’t expect the team to go out and light up the scoreboard, but they think the team will be competitive.

“Are we going to score a lot of goals — no, I don’t think so,” Murphy said. “I think we can play a hard-nosed game and get in your face and always have two guys around the puck — I think we’ll be successful.”

The Thunder will have a short bench at the Showcase as the team has three injured players. Matt Sempeck, Steve Nykolajcuyk and Tyler Nelson all have nagging injuries and are not expected to play. Nykolajcuyk and Nelson have ankle injuries and Sempeck has a hip flexor pull.

Brady Sand will likely get the start in goal against Kenai River. Sand played at Eau Claire Memorial High School last season and helped guide the team to a 26-0 season and a state championship.

The beginning to the season will be a learning experience for most of the players because they haven’t played at the NAHL level, but Zangs has liked their willingness to learn.

“They’re hungry for the knowledge of the game,” Zangs said. “They really want to succeed. They want to keep working hard every day.”