Thunderbirds acquire Matthew Garcia

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Twin City Thunderbirds, proud members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL), have acquired defenseman Matthew Garcia from the Athens Rock Lobsters in exchange for financial considerations.

Matthew Garcia, 24, Defenseman, of Homer Glen, Illinois, skated in twenty-nine games this season with the Rock Lobsters. He scored two goals and recorded eight assists for ten total points. Garcia made his professional hockey debut with Athens during the 2024-2025 regular season. He has scored six goals and notched fifteen assists for twenty-one total points in seventy-seven career games played in the FPHL. Garcia played three seasons for Illinois State (ACHA, Bloomington, Illinois) prior to beginning his professional hockey career. He netted five goals and recorded thirty-two assists for thirty-seven total points in ninety games played for Illinois State. Garcia also previously skated for the Geneva Cyclones (AA, Geneva, Illinois), Spartans Hockey (HS, Bolingbrook, Illinois), and Romeoville Huskies (AA, Romeoville, Illinois). He is 6’0”, 190 lbs., and is a right-handed shot.

Tickets to home games at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena may be purchased online by skating to WSFairgrounds.com, Ticketmaster.com, or by calling the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds Arena Box Office at (336) 727-2236. The Twin City Thunderbirds are proud members of the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL). #FlockTogether