PRESIDENTS' TROPHY IN HAND, WOLVES FACE FERRETS IN 1ST RD



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Calgary, Alb.- Despite ending the season with a 1-0 loss to the Calgary Chinook, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves had actually clinched first-overall throughout the playoffs and awarded the CCHL's Presidents' Trophy the night before when they beat the Keflavik Whalers, and the Dayton Musicmen lost to the Winnipeg Ferrets.

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Having secured their place in the post season, Thunder Bay sat many of their starters against Calgary in preparation for a first-round bout against their rival in Winnipeg.

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"This is an accomplishment we can all be proud of," said Timberwolves captain, Patrick Sharp. "It was one of our goals coming into the season, and we worked really hard to keep the pace with Dayton for the last couple months. But we cannot be satisfied. This was not our only goal, and was definitely not our ultimate goal. We have a lot of work to do and it starts with a very capable club in Winnipeg."

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For the Timberwolves, despite predictions that would say otherwise, they are taking the Winnipeg Ferretts very seriously.

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"We respect every opponent, every game," said head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "This doesn't end with a 1 versus 16 match-up against the Ferretts. They've proven they can play the spoiler [see previous win over Dayton]. They are coming here with all intentions of burying us and I can assure you, are not buying into these predictions and being swept and all that other bullsh*t. We're not either. We're treating them the way they should be treated, and that's as a formidable opponent that made the post season that isn't going to give you an inch."

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Game 1 is Saturday at Canadian National Gardens in Thunder Bay.

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Thunder Bay, Ont.- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves continued their run through the regular season with another victory over the last-place, rebuilding Reykjavik Puffin who were beat before a capacity crowd at Canadian National Gardens on Thursday by a 5-1 score.

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In the win, the Timberwolves marked another historic feat when at 7:08 in the second period, forward Rick Nash notched his 50th goal of the season. The second Thunder Bay player and third consecutive 50-goal scorer after Marian Gaborik accomplished the mark in 2010 and 2011.

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"It's a tough thing to do in the CCHL," said Nash's head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "It's a testimate to the work Rick put in in the offseason, every day, every game and every shift. He's a leader for us and a prime example of what we are all about."

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"This is not just about me," said Nash. "I play with some extrordinary linemates [Sidney Crosby and Patrick Sharp routinely] and this is their accomplishment as much as it is mine. We're given great opportunities by the coaches everyday to succeed. With the pre-game preperations and in-game execution. I will enjoy this. But it's back to work tomorrow and back to going after something special as a team here."

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Nash's 50 goals are the second most in the CCHL, behind Portland's Ryan Kesler's 53. With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Maurice 'Rocket' Richard Trophy [league's top scorer] is within grasp. But don't think that is something the big winger is thinking too much about.

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"It's not even something I've thought about honestly. Sure it's been brought up. But my focus is game-by-game and focusing on what's at task for that moment. If it happens, great. I hope to score every game. But my job is to help us win games. If I score and we lose, well... it didn't matter."

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With the Timberwolves win and a Dayton Musicmen tie on Thursday, Thunder Bay moved into a first overall tie with Dayton at 112 points. Something that as a team, the Timberwolves are strictly focused on to finish out their regular season.

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"If there is one team we pay attention to outside of our direct competition for that day, it's Dayton," said captain Patrick Sharp. "We are striving for the Presidents' Trophy and home ice throughout the post season. We don't play them again, so we need to do our jobs every game and get some help from other teams. It's one of those things, that when we get back to the room after a game, we turn on CCHL Network and see what happened in their game."

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The Timberwolves next game in Saturday at home against the Linz Black Wings [25-43-6]. A team fighting for the last playoff spot and fresh off a 3-2 overtime win over the Fort Erie Falcons.

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"They're a resilient club that are fighting for their post season lives," said Hartsburg. "Like every opponent, we'll take them very seriously and will have to play them hard and dictate the tempo with our game early and throughout."







'WE ARE NOT SATISFIED'



Rick Nash

Thunder Bay, Ont.- According to the Chinese, 2012 is the year of the dragon.
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According to some in the CCHL and most definitely those in northwest Ontario, 2012 is the year of the Timberwolves.
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As the frozen ponds of the northland thaw (did they ever really freeze during this mild winter?), and the hearty people of Thunder Bay and surrounding communities ready their boats and load up on mosquito spray, there is still that extension of winter to be played at Canadian National Gardens for what many hope ends in the raising of a banner in the fall.
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"It's getting exciting here (in Thunder Bay)," remarked Timberwolves assistant coach, Dean McAmmond. Who spent parts of three seasons as a player here before coming back as a coach. "There's always a passion for the game here, and a love of this hockey club. But it amps up this time of year, and especially this year when so much is expected of us. We are hopeful to deliver, and confident we will make them very proud."
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Thunder Bay currently sits 2nd overall (52-14-6 110 points) behind the Dayton Musicmen (53-14-5 111 points) with 10 games left in the season. The playoffs are more than secured. Tuesday's match-up with their cross-province rival and 3rd-place, Fort Erie Falcons (49-17-6 104 points) concludes the regular season games against their Ontario brethren. Already clinching the inaugural Golden Oar Challenge with a 9-1-1 record against the other Ontario-based hockey clubs (next closest is Fort Erie at 5-4-2; Niagara Falls 5-6-1 and Hamilton 2-10-0), the Timberwolves are set for the post-season. Or are they?
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"Absolutely not. We are not set. We are not satisfied," said forward Eric Staal. "We want the Presidents' Trophy and home ice throughout. We are not content with just making it and playing whoever, wherever. We want to win as many games as possible in front of our own fans."
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The players, coaches and fans want so much more for this team. But they have already won so much this season. Literally.
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They've won more games already then they ever have (previous high was 48).
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They're on pace to score more goals then ever, and allow less then ever.
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For the third year in a row, they are likely to have at least one 50-goal scorer (Rick Nash currently has 48 and Sidney Crosby 41).
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But lets make one thing very clear. Of all of these team and individual accomplishments, there is still only one true goal that matters...
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Win the CCHL Champions Cup.
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That is all that matters.

WOLVES HOWL THEIR OWN TUNE; SHUTOUT MUSICMEN

Antti Miettinen

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Dayton, Ohio- Clicking on all cylinders, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves took the Dayton Musicmen to the wood shed on Monday in a 5-0, one-sided tilt in what many are deeming a Champions Cup Final preview.
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"We wanted to come in here and set the tempo early, and take their crowd out of it," said Timberwolves coach Craig Hartsburg. "We did that and the guys executed the gameplan to perfection. It's hard for a coach to pick this game apart and look for things to improve on. Obviously we want to keep those shots against us down [40-30 in Dayton's favour]. But Hank [goaltender Henrik Lundqvist] seems to play that much better with the more rubber he sees."
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Marian Hossa put the visiting Timberwolves up 1-0 at 10:04 in the first period for the Slovaks 18th goal of the year and second since being acquired from Copenhagen. Assists came from Matt Duchene and Marek Zidlicky.
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Rick Nash notched his team-leading 38th goal at 17:23 in the first from captain, Patrick Sharp and Sidney Crosby to close out the opening period's scoring. Lundqvist stopping all eight shots he faced.
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In the middle period, Lundqvist was clearly zoned in and stopped all fifteen Musicmen shots. Antti Miettinen's 14th from Marc Staal and James Wisniewski extended Thunder Bay's lead at 3-0 going into the final twenty minutes of hockey.
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In the third, Dayton continued to pile on the shots on the Timberwolves goaltender. But King Henrik stood tall and eventually stopped all seventeen put on him. Another tally from Miettinen and the fifth and final goal from Sharp sealed the win for the now-one-point-from-first-place Timberwolves.
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"This is a huge win for us," said Crosby after the game. "When you can control and dominate a team like Dayton, in their barn... it just proves to us how important it is to stick with a plan, play our game and we can be successful against anyone in this league. Credit our coaches for getting us ready. Hart and Walzy [Wes Walz] and all of them did a great job."
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"The guys are really high on this win for sure," said captain Sharp. "The hardest part is toning it down and getting ready for the next one. Which is these guys again at our place. They're going to be coming out to avenge this loss, and we have to be ready for it. So we'll celebrate this one on the plane back to T-Bay. But it's back to business when we land and getting back into the groove we've been in to be successful."
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As mentioned, the Musicmen travel to Thunder Bay for Thursday's back end of the home-at-home. The winner either stays first overall in the league rankings, or takes over first place.
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3-STARS
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*Henrik Lundqvist [THU] - 40 saves on 40 shots for 6th shutout of the season
**Antti Miettinen [THU] - 2 goals
***Marian Hossa [THU] - Opening goal

MOOSE ARRIVES IN WOLF COUNTRY; ROSTER SET



Johan Hedberg

Beverly Hills, Calif.- Prior to the Timberwolves morning skate on Wednesday, defenseman Nick Schultz was told by general manager, Blake Wendt that he had been dealt to the Wisborg Donuts.
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In exchange, Thunder Bay acquired goaltender Johan Hedberg to provide some insurance between the pipes for what is hoped to be a long playoff run.
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"First of all, I want to extend my sincerest gratitude to Nick and everything he brought to this hockey club," said Wendt in an impromptu press conference. "He's plays with class and is someone parents don't fear their kids looking up to. We will miss his calming influence in the room, his contributions to the Thunder Bay community and everything he and his family did for the greater good."
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"In Hedberg, we get a bona fide veteren goalie that has established himself as an elite puck-stopper when the game really matters. We are absolutely set with the tandem we have in Hank [Henrik Lundqvist] and [James] Reimer. But we really felt that if something happened to either one of those two, God forbid, then we didn't want to be in a position to have to pick up whatever goaltender was available in the free agent pool. We wanted to address that position here and now."
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"So with that said. Here on the eve of the trade deadline. Unless something comes in that knocks our socks off, then we are done. This is the team we're going in with and hopefully coming out on top."
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With Schultz heading to Wisborg, the Timberwolves iced near the same squad as they have the past couple of days and beat the Beverly Hills Lawmasters 5-2. They do not play again until Sunday back at the Canadian National Gardens when they welcome the Long Island Express to Thunder Bay. The team will stay in California on Thursday and return home on Friday afternoon.

STATEMENT MADE: WOLVES ALL IN!

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Niagara Falls, Ont.- The trade winds have been rather quite in the CCHL of late. A few minor deals and players being waived and picked up.
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That all changed on Saturday and Sunday.
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Clearly in the hunt for their first ever championship, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves splashed and made a big wave inside two weeks before the trade deadline.
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With the defending champion-Crusaders seemingly packing it in for their chances at a back-to-back, the Timberwolves pounced on their long-time foe's offer. Acquiring right-winger, Marian Hossa and stalwart blueliner, Toni Lydman in exchange for right-wingers Martin Erat and Joffrey Lupul.
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Thunder Bay's general manager sees a huge improvement in Hossa over Erat [despite exact point production], and the obvious added depth on defense for what is hopefully a long playoff run.
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"Hossa is a two-hundred-foot, every situation player that we are thrilled to have added to our lineup," said Blake Wendt fresh off arriving in Niagara Falls for tomorrow's tilt against the Thunder. "He does everything right, and at an elite level. In regards to Toni Lydman, we get one of the most underrated defensemen in the game today. He's a vet that's been around, knows the game and knows how to execute near flawless positioning every shift. A cerebral player that doesn't get near the credit he deserves. Blocks shots, carries a heavy one of his own and is just simply a guy you want on your side when you're going after the ultimate prize."
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Both Hossa and Lydman will join the Timberwolves in Niagara Falls. Hossa will wear #13 and Lydman #32.
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If that deal wasn't enough to send shivers down the backs of the league's elite, Wendt's BlackBerry was always within fingers reach, and another blockbuster deal was on the horizon.
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Since taking over the Keflavik Whalers, Brian Senecal stood pat and felt out the league before making any moves. Late Saturday, early Sunday a deal was finally struck with the more than willing Timberwolves.
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Thunder Bay-native, and older brother of Timberwolves defenseman Marc Staal, Eric Staal was acquired with defensmen James Wisniewski and Greg Zanon from the Whalers for third-string goaltender Brian Elliot, defensemen Anton Volchenkov and Carl Gunnarsson.
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Staal scored his 13th power play goal on Sunday in his final game in a Whalers uniform. One more than his new teammate, Sidney Crosby for tops in the league. Wisniewski is fifth in the league in points from a defenseman with 39, and Zanon is tied for 8th in the league in blocked shots. Joining Francois Beauchemin and Toni Lydman as one of three on the Thunder Bay roster in the top-10 in that department.
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"We have some concerns about the durability of Crosby. Bringing Staal in not only elevates those concerns, but adds to our supreme depth down the middle with one of the all-around best centres in the league. Eric is not only a vocal leader, but also one that leads by example. We look forward to adding him as a 1-2 punch with the man-advantage and up on our top line when we decide to sit Sid."
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"Wisniewski gives us another added punch to our blueline. He's a physical force in front of his net, and I know Hank [Henrik Lundqvist] and [James] Reimer will appreciate that. He also brings with him a sound defensive game and can skate with the puck or distribute it out for an offensive push."
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"Zanon is someone we've coveted for along time. We've made multiple offers for him when he played in Linz, and were outbid this summer when he was on the open market. Greg is a rock-solid defenseman that is fearless in his shot blocking abilities and is another sound defensive defenseman to add to our overall depth."
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"Overall I am ecstatic about the past 24 hours. We were serious about our intentions for this season before these moves. But with them, we are that much closer to achieving our goals. This group did not come without sending out alot of talent for their return. We moved some guys we were not actively shopping or intending to move. But in the end, we accomplished what we set out to do."
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Eric Staal will wear #12, Wisniewski #21 and Zanon #5. They will also be in Monday's lineup against the Niagara Falls Thunder.

WOLVES SHUTOUT FERRETS IN 'CLASSIC' ROUT

Lundqvist shuts out Ferrets in Classic

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Thunder Bay, Ont.- The scene was surreal in an atmosphere that brought professional hockey players back to simpler times and to where it all began.
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Today was the first of what is hoped to be an annual Heritage Classic between the Thunder Bay Timberwolves and Winnipeg Ferrets. Played outdoors and in the harsh northwest Ontario winter of Thunder Bay. To make it more picturesque, it wasn't played in some cavernous stadium in front of tens of thousands of raucous fans (although it would have been guaranteed to sell-out in this hockey-hungry community). Even with corporate sponsors on the boards and on the CCHL regulation ice, it had the coziness of only five-hundred family, friends and fans and a pine covered mountain in the back ground while being played in a typical working class, Canadian neighbourhood that made this day special.
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"It's an unbelievable feeling to be almost literally back to where it all began," said Timberwolves defenseman Marc Staal. A Thunder Bay-native whose family story is known to any hockey fan out there. The Staal family sod farm where Marc's father Henry set up his own Heritage Classic twenty years ago sits only a few kilometers away from the Northwood neighbourhood of this contest.
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"To be playing for a team in my hometown is special enough," said Staal. "But this is so close for me to where it all started for my brothers and myself. Where it all started for most of us. Right here on an outdoor rink or pond. The cold burning your lungs, the pucks hurting that much more, and yet still wanting to stay out way after mom has called you in for dinner. This is amazing."
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But not to be forgotten in all this reminiscing was a real two points at stake in a regular season game between the Timberwolves and their nearest neighbour to the west in the Winnipeg Ferrets.
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It took some feeling of each other and the elements out before a spirited bout between Thunder Bay defenseman Dion Phaneuf and Winnipeg forward Greg Campbell to make this just another CCHL hockey game.
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A little over two minutes after the fight, Rick Nash put the home club on top at 12:14 with his 24th on the year from his captain and Thunder Bay-native, Patrick Sharp and Sidney Crosby.
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Twenty-one seconds later, Nash used his long reach in to intercept a cross-ice Victor Hedman pass in the neutral zone to break away on Sergei Bobrovsky to net his second tally in the Heritage Classic.
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The Timberwolves were not done in taking advantage of the struggling Ferrets. At 15:49, Martin Erat scored his eighth of the year from Staal and Milan Lucic to put the home club up 3-0.
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A power play goal from Antti Miettinen at 18:32 closed out the first twenty minutes of hockey with the Timberwolves up 4-0.
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"Huge period right there," said Nash during the intermission. "We wanted to come out with our A-game, and take it to them early and often. This is a special game and we really want to enjoy this and make it something really memorable. But we really want and need every point in every game, so we have to keep our foot on the gas and keep going with this and then we can really enjoy this experience."
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In the second period the game came to a screeching halt. The shots tapered off, the goals ceased and the cold seemed to wreak havoc on the players hands.
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But with less than five minutes left in the frame, Crosby and former Timberwolf, TJ Oshie engaged in words first and then gloved punches before Crosby slashed his opponent before the two were separated. Earning #87 a major.
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The blood boiling in his teammates again was more major.
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"Sid plays with and edge doesn't shy away from the chirping," said Milan Lucic at the break. "The refs missed Oshie's slash before that and that's what led to what happened. If they're not going to call it, then Sid has no problem taking it back at them. We have to respect that and it really boosts the spirits on the bench when you see a guy of his caliber really sticking up for himself and really for his teammates."
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In the third period it was once again all Timberwolves for twenty minutes.
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Erat notched his second of the night at 6:59 from Matt Duchene and Lucic to make it 5-0.
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Then a pair from Crosby at 9:03 and 17:57 sealed things up and closed out the 2012 Heritage Classic with the Thunder Bay Timberwolves beating the Winnipeg Ferrets 7-0.
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"Big win in an extraordinary game," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "I thought considering all the hype leading up to this game, for obvious reasons, that we might get caught up in it and be outplayed. But I was happy that the guys were ready, enjoyed themselves, and really just kept going with the game plan. Which was to come out hard, play our game and keep them off theirs all night. We executed it line by line. But we'll take this win and this event and the two points and move on to the next one. We have to. Our next opponent isn't going to care that we just beat Winnipeg in the Heritage Classic. They want to kick our ass, and we have to prepare for that."
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The Timberwolves next game is Monday in Keflavik, Iceland against the Whalers [25-14-1]. They will be without their number one defenseman in Dion Phaneuf who was injured on a Alex Steen hit and will be out the next four days with an undisclosed 'upper body injury'.
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3-STARS
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*Henrik Lundqvist [THU] - 22 saves for 4th shutout of the season
**Rick Nash [THU] - 2 goals
***The residents of Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada