AUBURN — The Twin City Thunder are one of two teams entering the USPHL National Collegiate Development Conference playoffs that don’t have a point-per-game player.

“We have a great team; we have a great unit here, and we all rely on each other for each game,” Thunder forward and Lewiston native Dom Chasse said. “If you are not getting it done that night, then someone else will step up and be the (guy). It’s kind of the team mentality: We are all one unit, and we go out there and try to win each hockey game.”

That doesn’t mean the Thunder don’t have scoring threats; they have six players with 10-plus goals and at least 30 points. Twin City is seventh in total goals this year, with 151, but fifth among playoff teams.

“Again, it’s depth; that’s the quality of the depth we have, each line can score,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “Caden Smith scored the last game, and that line scored a goal and contributed. Every line can score on any night, which is nice because we rely on everybody.”

One of the leading scorers, Tyler Healey, an Ontario native, had 18 goals and 18 assists in 41 games this season. He didn’t play much in 2020-21 because of the coronavirus pandemic shutting down junior hockey in Ontario for most of the season.

“Obviously, it was tough, being back at home in Canada, restrictions were very high,” Healey said. “I didn’t get a lot of playing time. I came here, and Dan understood that (at the) main camp. He really pushed me to be a better player and stuff to my game, like adding more offense this year.”

Healey recorded 29 of his 36 points since Dec. 3.

“There’s a guy that works hard, blocks shots, does everything we ask of him: a shot blocker, penalty-killer, power play, goal-scorer,” Hodge said of Healey. “He came back from a concussion earlier in the year. Just a hard-working player that epitomizes what we are trying to do here.”

Healey is tied for first in scoring with Sam Stitz (15 goals and 21 assists in 47 games).

The only two full-time returning players from last season, Nathan Chickering (17 goals and 17 assists in 47 games) and Chasse (14 goals and 20 assists in 43 games), each have 34 points.

Hodge said both are the driving force of getting the team up to speed.

“You build off a guy like Dom Chasse and a guy like Nate Chickering, with their loyalty and leadership this year,” Hodge said. “They led the locker room, and they knew what to expect from day one. The other guys took their cues from them.”

Tristan Rand has 19 goals and 14 assists for 33 points, while Trace Norwell has 32 points (13 goals and 18 assists). Both players played in all 48 regular-season games.

Rand said the offense started clicking midway through the season.

“I think halfway through the season, once everyone found their grooves and everyone found their identity as players,” Rand said. “I think that’s where that everything started to click for everybody, and the lines started to solidify.”

Just before the midway point of the regular season, the Thunder coaching staff was looking to add a player to one of the top two lines.

They found that player, in Matt Cole of the Metro Jr. Jets, at the Islanders Hockey Club Showcase in November while scouting the USPHL’s Premier League.

“Cole came out and the first game he played in, he scored a goal,” Hodge said. “He solidified a spot on the team, and line of Chasse, Stitz, and (Cole) jelled right away. This is a perfect line. I think Dom Chasse said: ‘We found our winger.’ It was a good addition.”

Cole had 13 goals and 12 assists in 20 games with the Jets. Since joining the Thunder, he’s the second-highest point-per-game player for the Thunder, averaging 0.83 points-per-game with eight goals and 16 assists in 29 games.

After scoring two goals and six assists in his first four games with the Thunder, Cole went from Dec. 17-Jan. 9 without recording a single point.

Cole said it took time adjusting to the NCDC level from the Premier League.

“I got hot right off the bat and settled in to adjust to (the NCDC),” Cole said. “It was really to get the speed (of the league) under my belt, and once I (adjusted) and get (chemistry) with my linemates, we started really scoring, and we are back where we started.”

The Thunder (24-18-6, 54 points) enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed in the NCDC North Division and face the second-seeded Junior Bruins (28-15-5, 61 points) in the first round this weekend at the New England Sports Center in Marlborough, Massachusetts. Game 1 is Friday at 3:30 p.m., Game 2 is Saturday at 4:30 p.m., and Game 3 is Sunday at 5:30 p.m. if necessary.

Chasse didn’t play in last year’s playoff run, which ended in a semifinal loss to the Jersey Hitmen, but is excited to be a key contributor this year.

“I am very excited, I know our coaches have been in it and our captain (Nathan Chickering) has been in it also,” Chasse said. “We are excited and we are ready to come out and play Friday.”

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