WOLVES ACQUIRE OSHIE

THUNDER BAY, ON- With his hockey club currently on the road and readying for tonights contest against the Havana Moon. General Manager Blake Wendt has shaken up the roster from his office back in Thunder Bay.
>>>The Timberwolves have sent winger, Mason Raymond and their second round pick in this next draft to the expansion Budapest Honved, for rookie, T.J. Oshie.
>>>In 13 games for Honved, Oshie has registered no goals and four assists with 16 PIM and a -4. Not anything to write home about, but Wendt likes the future and has been pursuing the Warroad, Minnesota-native for a long time.
>>>"We're a club and I'm a manager that obviously covets players from this neck of the woods," said Wendt. Oshie has been someone on our radar since his days at Warroad and taking his team to the State Tourney (Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament) and winning it all. His development through his three years at North Dakota kept him high on our list of players to, if ever available, go after. We were hoping that with the contraction over the summer that Budapest would pass over him and our chances of landing him through a draft would be possible. But they are pretty savvy over there and didn't overlook him."
>>>During his three years in Grand Forks, Oshie averaged a point a game or better every year. Something that the Timberwolves are confident will translate to the pro game.
>>>"The offense is there with this kid," said Wendt. "He's very shifty and elusive, and his passing is what sets him apart. Go one-on-one with him and you're toast. Our defensemen are going to hate him in practice. But what we like most about his game is that with all that offense, he is very responsible in his own end. Forechecks and is always in pursuit of the puck. Something we demand of all of our players. Something that overtime we hope is the identity of our hockey club."
>>>Oshie is slated to be dressed in tonight's game in Cuba. It's not yet known which line and with whom, but what is known is that he'll be wearing #29.

THOMAS HURT, ELLIOTT SHELLED

THU 0
KRL 8

Karlstad, Sweden- In the Kingdom of Sweden, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves played their worst game of the season when they had hoped to turn their fortunes around after dismal loss at home against a provicial rival.
>>>Every team in the CCHL is only as good as their netminder between the pipes. For the Timberwolves, Tim Thomas and his league leading goals against and save percentage have kept them in close games. So when the Flint, Michigan-native didn't immediately bounce back up after a hard run by a Killers player. There was an eerie hush on the Thunder Bay bench.
>>>"Nobody wants to see their number one (goalie) go down like that," said Keith Ballard. "Timmy's a great team player and has got us out of alot of jams this season. We owed it to him to hold it together and take the game back. We didn't."
>>>Thomas was assisted off the ice by trainers with what appeared to be some kind of head or neck injury after the collision. He did not return to the bench for the remainder of the game.
>>>Rookie, Brian Elliott was called upon for the second time in his young pro-career. His reward for making it this far? To get throttled for seven more goals after Thomas' one in the first.
>>>"You can't blame Ells for this loss," said Bryan McCabe. "He's a young guy coming in cold against the best team in the CCHL. We didn't shore things up for him and let him get into a groove. Karlstad deserves all the credit in the world for shutting us down before we could shut them down."
>>>Like McCabe and the rest of the players, the Timberwolves coaches we just as sympathetic for Elliott.
>>>"I'm not putting this on Brian," said assistant coach, Ryan McGill. "Should he have stopped some of those shots? Of course. But given the situation and the way his team played in front of him against a team like Karlstad. He didn't have a chance. Timmy wasn't there on the bench for support. He was a sacrificial lamb out there."
>>>Thomas isn't expected to play for the remainder of this road trip. Due to logistics, he traveled with the team to Havana for Friday nights game against the Moon. Joey MacDonald was recalled from Duluth and will be dressed. Whether he will start has not been determined after the shelling of Elliott. But it isn't likely.
>>>"We'll decide after the morning skate," said head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "Neither guy is coming in well rested. It's not a situation we were looking forward too. But these are the cards we are dealt, so we'll deal with it."
>>>After arriving in the states, Thomas will switch planes and head back to Thunder Bay, as the rest of the hockey club heads to Denver for Sundays game against the Spurs.

THUNDER ROLLS OVER WOLVES

NIA 4
THU 2

THUNDER BAY, ON- Fatigue was the main course for the Thunder Bay Timberwolves on Monday night against their provicial-rival, Niagara Falls Thunder.
>>>After coming home from a 3-game road trip, the Timberwolves were hoping some home cooking would heal wounds before embarking on another 3-game road trip.
>>>Thunder Bay took a 2-1 lead into the final period. Only to be dismantled by Niagara. Scoring three goals for themselves and sending the weary Wolves on the road with a loss.
>>>"No sugar coating this one," said Timberwolves, Sheldon Souray. "We weren't ready for their late attack. We couldn't skate with them and that was embarrassing. We're a better team than this."
>>>To add insult to a tired squad, Thunder Bay had to play the majority of the third period with only four defensemen available. Bryce Salvador left early in the third after blocking a shot off the outside of his skate. Matt Niskanen took an un-called high-stick moments later.
>>>"I'm not a guy to make excuses for anything," said head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "But there's not many clubs out there that shut down that offense with only two defensive pairings and being worn down after a 3-game road trip that included two in Europe."
>>>With another European trip on the immediate horizon, the Timberwolves have no time to regroup or get well rested. Their opponent on Wednesday night will be the league-leading Killers in Karlstad, Sweden. Then two days later at the Humidor to take on the Havana Moon. The trip comes to an end in Denver on Sunday against the Spurs.
>>>"Every team in this league goes through these scheduling grinds," said Keith Ballard. "So there's no sense in whining about it."
>>>Bryce Salvador's injury is officially listed as a lower-body injury. He will not make the trip to Sweden and Cuba, but is expected to rejoin the team in Denver. Roman Polak has been brought up from the practice squad.
>>>Matt Niskanen got stitched up and will be in the lineup in Karlstad.

THOMAS STONES BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST, Hungary- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves arrived in Budepest, hoping to bring with them the same drive against Honved as they did back in Canada against the River Cities Renegades. Although ending in a tie, the Timberwolves had no business being as close to one of the CCHL's top teams as they were (6 penalty kills and outshot 42-30).

>>>In their inagural season, Budapest is somewhat of a surprise with their 5-3-0 record prior to Tuesdays game against Thunder Bay. With Henrik Sedin leading the league with 20 points in 8 games, the Timberwolves would have to live up to their league-best goals against.

>>>Things started off chippy as Budapest's Brayden Coburn drew a 2-minute minor on Marian Gaborik. Only to take the Slovak sniper into the box with him after a retaliating punch.

>>>At 14:20 in the first, David Perron and Ossi Vaananen elevated heated words into some spirited jabs. Giving the two combatents 2 minutes to cool off.

>>>Needless to say, the gameplan for both clubs in the opening period seemed to be to get under one another's skin and avoid scoring at all costs.

>>>The second period didn't provide the same abrassive game as the first. But it also didn't bring out the goals either. Not until 18:49 when Patrick Sharp capitalized on the man-advantage, putting the Timberwolves on top.

>>>Getting the feeling that Sharp's goal might be all that his team could muster, Timberwolves head coach Craig Hartsburg called in the troops and decided to control the neutral zone for the remaining 20 minutes.

>>>"For whatever reason, we're struggling putting goals behind the other goalie," said Hartsburg. "Maybe it was the jetlag, but we didn't have our legs under us to push the puck in this game."

>>>The Timberwolves would often keep four players back to bottle up the neutral zone and up the middle of the ice. The five shots on Tim Thomas (pictured) were floaters from the top of the circles.

>>>"The guys did an excellent job shutting Honved down," said Thomas. "Like they have all season, they're keeping lanes clear, blocking shots and clearing out the crease. I can't take all the credit for games like this. Our defense throws their weight around and all the guys are great at keeping the puck on their sticks and off the oppositions."

>>>The third remained scoreless for both clubs, and Thomas and the rest of the Timberwolves skated away with a 1-0 shutout.

>>>Following the game, the Timberwolves immediately took off for Austria for Thursday nights contest against the Linz Black Wings.

>>>"We're going to take the day off," said Hartsburg. "These trips over here are always tough. Before we even hit the ice. Since the guys answered the bell, I think a day to get some Christmas shopping done in Austria is in order. Come Thursday morning, it's back to business and the grind."

>>>It is also rumoured that rookie goaltender, Brian Elliott will get the start against the struggling Black Wings.

>>>"We'll decide on Thursday," said Hartsburg. "Timmy's played nine good games, and the plan was to ease Brian in on the road against a bottom team around the tenth game."

>>>At 2-6-1, Linz foots the bill in that regard. With Thunder Bay's next game after Linz to be in Bismarck. It's not likely the rookie will play then.

HATS OFF TO GABBY

THUNDER BAY, ON- On Thursday night, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves were outshot by twenty and horrid in the faceoff circle. But the end result was a 6-2 win for the canis lupus over the Calgary Chinook in front of another capacity crowd and Canadian National Gardens.
>>>Marian Gaborik opened the evenings scoring at 3:52 in the first, on a newly formed line with rookie, Bryan Little and David Perron. The struggling Slovak entered the game with a solo goal and an assist through five games.
>>>Milan Hejduk evened things up at 11:37 in the first from Brian Rafalski and Mikko Koivu.
>>>Inside the final minute of the opening period, Keith Ballard snapped a shot from the right dot. Putting it five-hole on a screened Carey Price.
>>>The second period was all Timberwolves. Fifty-four seconds in, Ales Hemsky took a feed from Ballard and cut across the Chinook crease and Price was again beat between the legs.
>>>Being double shfited, Gaborik finished up some dandy passing from some pluggers and grinders in Bryce Salvador and Samuel Pahlsson. Netting his second of the game at 3:32.
>>>Bryan Little would close out the scoring in the second, with his fourth of the season from Perron and Gaborik.
>>>The real hero of the second, and the game for that matter would have to be the man between the pipes for Thunder Bay. Tim Thomas stopped all twenty shots put on him in the second.
>>>It took Gaborik 1:47 to ice his first hat trick as a member of the Timberwolves. Thus, pulling him out of any mention of a slump that has been weighing on him throughout this first few games.
>>>"I wasn't too worried about it," said Gaborik. "It's still early in the season, and I know what I'm capable of. We have a great group of guys out there. I'm happy to have brought some offense."
>>>Paul Mara would score for Calgary midway through the third. But the damage was done.
>>>Thomas ended up stopping 48 of 50 shots. Letting in no goals off the game high of twenty in the second.
>>>"I was seeing the puck well tonight," said Thomas. "The guys did a great job clearing those lanes and made it easy for me."
>>>The Timberwolves have Friday night off, but hit the ice again on Saturday for a 'Hockey Night in Canada' tilt against the Long Island Express.
>>>
3 STARS OF THE GAME:
>>>
>>1st - Marian Gaborik (THU) - 3 goals (hat trick) & an assist
>>2nd - Tim Thomas (THU) - 48 saves on 50 shots
>>3rd - David Perron (THU) - 3 assists

INSIDE THE PUP DEN

GOALTENDER

MIKE LEE

6'0" - 190 lbs

October 5, 1990

Roseau, Minnesota, USA

CURRENT ASSIGNMENT:

St. Cloud State University (NCAA-WCHA)

- 1-2-1 - 11ga - 2.15 GAA - .924 SV%

ACQUIRED:

2009 Entry Draft (3rd Round, 60th overall)

Mike Lee is currently splitting the netminding duties at SCSU with another Timberwolves prospect in Dan Dunn ('07 draftee, 7th Round, 149th overall). As a freshman, Lee is transitioning nicely to the NCAA game after a successful season last year for the 1st-year Fargo Force of the USHL. Success seems to follow this kid around. Prior to the USHL, Lee played for a very talented squad with the Minnesota-renowned, Roseau Rams. Backstopping them all the way to the tournament in St. Paul. Lee's connection to the Timberwolves goes beyond sharing the crease with Dunn. His teammates at Roseau were Aaron Ness (THU '08 2nd Rd, 31st) and Nick Oliver (THU '09 5th, 91st). He also played with Oliver at Fargo along with Josh Birkholz (THU '09 4th, 68th).

>>>"Lee is an superior goalie," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "Success has followed him, or he has lead to it, at every level he's played at. Goalies are so hard to figure out in terms of knowing if they will end up being a decent pro guy. I firmly believe that along with a strong mental make-up, which Lee has. Having progressive success and meeting and exceeding expectations every year shows what kind of future you will have. We've had an eye on Mike since we started watching Aaron Ness at Roseau. He took a club in their inaugural year in Fargo all the way to the USHL finals. And he's looking very solid at St. Cloud with our other guy Dan Dunn. We're pleased with the way he has progressed."

LITTLE'S BIG GAME

Dayton, OH- After a disapointing finish to a hard fought loss in Portland, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves were eager to redeem themselves against the re-building Musicmen in Dayton.
>>>At 12:06 in the first, Timberwolves rookie forward, Bryan Little (pictured) took a tape-to-tape feed from Ales Hemsky and beat Marc-Andre Fleury 5-hole for his second career CCHL goal.
>>>Less than a minute later at 13:04, another Bryan added to the lead, as McCabe intercepted a pass at the Timberwolves blueline and took the puck in on Fleury. Beating the Dayton tender off a backhand under the left blocker.
>>>Ville Leino would score for the Musicmen at 17:43 to cut the Timberwolves lead in half going into the first intermission.
>>>"We started off the period on our heals (two penalty kills in the first ten minutes), scored two quick goals. But didn't play a full twenty minutes and they took advantage," said Timberwolves, Patrick Sharp.
>>>The second period yeilded the same results for Thunder Bay early. Dean McAmmond's high stick put Dayton on the powerplay at 3:46, and former Timberwolves prospect, Alex Goligoski made him pay. Scoring the tying goal 55 seconds later.
>>>The Musicmen could not maintain any momentum as Patrick Sharp would take the lead back for the Timberwolves 40 seconds after Goligoski's tally. Thunder Bay would take the lead into the final intermission.
>>>The third period was played tight by both clubs. As Dayton fought to keep the game within reason, and Thunder Bay focused on keeping the puck outside their blueline.
>>>At 16:54, David Perron put the game away. The sophmore's first of the season came off of some nifty passing from McCabe and former-Musicman, Marian Gaborik.
>>>Fifty-nine seconds later, Little would score his second of the game and end it with a 5-2 win for the visiting Timberwolves.
>>>Thunder Bay outshot Dayton 44-31 and controlled the faceoff circle 47-34.
>>>"Take nothing away from Dayton and the young guys Bill (Corfield) is putting out there for prime ice-time," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "They play with alot of heart and that combined with the raw talent will eventually mold them into a strong hockey club in the near future. We played a good game, but weren't nearly as disiplined as I'd like. We can't do this against the top teams in this league. If we can stay out of the box and at least play the oppostion on equal ice, we can definately compete in this league."
>>>The Timberwolves have an off day on Sunday as they travel back to the west coast for a Monday night bout against the Victoria Ronin who destroyed Wisborg on Saturday, 9-0.
>>>"Our gameplan isn't too complicated," said Wendt. "We have to stay out of the box and we have to control the puck. Everything else will fall into place if we can do those things."

Thunder Bay, ON- For the second game in a row, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves scored four goals. The difference in the second game was a win for the boys on the Lake Superior north shore.

>>>The Copenhagen Crusaders came to town off a dominating victory and scoring seven goals in their first game. The Timberwolves knew that this young, up-start squad could not be taken lightly.

>>>"They're like us in alot of ways," said Timberwolves forward, Patrick Sharp. "They're young and have been building through the draft and drafting and developing pretty much most of their guys in their system."

>>>The Crusaders would open up the scoring at 7:30 in the first with a sniper's shot from Anze Kopitar.

>>>Matt Niskanen (pictured) tied things up for the Timberwolves at 12:31, but Copenhagen's Chris Kelly took back the lead 25 seconds later.

>>>Marian Gaborik decided enough was enough and took a series of tape-to-tape passes from Jay McKee and Roman Polak and buried his shot between the legs of Tomas Vokoun.

>>>"It was great puck movement from two guys on the backend that are normally more inclined to simply keep the puck out of their own net," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "Marian did an excellent job of doing what he does best and that's scoring clutch goals."

>>>Like the first game for Thunder Bay, they would go toe-to-toe with their opponent and keep the scoring down to none in the second period.

>>>At 12:21 in the third, Thunder Bay's Sheldon Souray lowered the boom on Vokoun as the Czech netminder was likely thrilled to have survived a 1-on-none canon from the Alberta-native.

>>>Four and a half minutes later at 16:52, Bryan Little scored his first career CCHL goal and put sent the Crusaders packing with their first loss of the season.

>>>"It's obviously a great feeling getting that first goal," said Little. "But it feels so much better have it be a goal that put this team over the top with a victory."

>>>"The boys answered the bell and took it to a very talented squad on the other side," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "It's a great game to learn and grow from, but tomorrow is another day and we have another huge test in a couple days in Portland."

>>>Thunder Bay's next game is against the Owls on Friday night. The beginning of a 3-game road trip against some of the traditionally powerful CCHL clubs that also includes the Dayton Musicmen on Sunday and back to the west coast against the Victoria Ronin next Tuesday.

>>>"Should be a good opportunity for the guys to more used to each other and gel," said Souray. "We have alot of talent. We just need it all to work as one."

Thunder Bay, ON- After scoring three in the third, the Timberwolves couldn't hold a two goal lead and settle for a 4-4 tie with the Springfield Homers in front of a sold out Canadian National Gardens on Opening Day on Sunday.
>>>Springfield came out the gate hot, and tallied two goals in the first ten minutes to put Thunder Bay on their heals.
>>>Without a late powerplay goal in the first by the newly, re-acquired Ales Hemsky, the Timberwolves were looking like a superior team being completely outplayed.
>>>"I think we got caught up in the festivities and weren't prepared for them to come at us the way they did early," said Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard. "Hemmer (Hemsky) scored at the right time and helped us get our heads out of our asses."
>>>The second period was 20 minutes of two teams jockeying for position and not allowing the other much room to skate. The game would remain 2-1 Homers going into the final period.
>>>Ballard opened up the scoring, tying the game with a wristshot from the left circle, over Cam Ward's left shoulder.
>>>Thunder Bay would score two more times, once with a helper from rookie, Bryan Little. His first career CCHL point. But the lead could not be held, and Springfield would answer with two more of their own to tie the game up.
>>>Five minutes of OT could decide nothing, and both teams skated away with a point and an undecided finish.
>>>"We showed we can score at will," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "But we have alot to work on in defending a lead. We should have took two points and we ended up lucky to get the one."
>>>The Timberwolves also lost defenseman, Bryce Salvador for the next 7 days with an undisclosed injury. He should be back for Thunder Bay's fifth game at Victoria. Roman Polak has been brought up from the practice squad to replace Salvador.
>>>The Timberwolves next game will be Tuesday night against Copenhagen. The Crusaders are coming off a 7-goal win led by Kris Versteeg and Mike Richards.
>>>"We will have our hands full," said Hartsburg. "They're incredibly young and talented. Our game will have to be simple and puck possession will be key for victory. They're too talented for us to just hope they don't score. They will if we don't first shut them down."