THE FUTURE IS HERE

Thunder Bay, ON- Despite the current Timberwolves being on the road and preparing themselves for the fast approaching CCHL playoffs. Some future Timberwolves are arriving in Thunder Bay in waves as the NCAA season comes to a close.

>>>The Frozen Four takes place April 8-10 in Detroit. Of which the Timberwolves now only have one prospect still currently playing in the NCAA. That being forward, Derek Stepan with the University of Wisconsin.

>>>"We're excited to be bringing these players completely under our wing," said Timberwolves general manager, Blake Wendt. "They've gained invaluable experience and tutelage from some of the greatest hockey minds out there. They've matured physically and mentally from their high school and junior days. Some have gone the distance and come here with a degree. I would never pull these young men away from college too early. Some don't believe in the NCAA method of producing professional talent. I do. These players are men when they come to us. They are ready for this next step."

>>>The next step for some came as soon as the regular season was over. Minnesota's Mike Carman and Jay Barriball arrived in Thunder Bay early. Barriball has since decided to return to the Golden Gophers after missing almost all of this season to injury. Notre Dame's captain, Ryan Thang spent four years at South Bend (Indiana) and comes to Thunder Bay off a disappointing season for the Irish. But with a degree and hockey mind molded with the help of an excellent coach in Jeff Jackson.

>>>Joining Thang on Wednesday, is his teammate Ian Cole (pictured) from the blueline. Cole was close to leaving Notre Dame last season, but opted to return for his junior season. Also rumoured to be leaving ND is Cole's defensive partner, Teddy Ruth. Ruth has yet to announce his intentions for next season.

>>>On Tuesday, defenseman Chris Summers departed Ann Arbor as a senior captain of the Michigan Wolverines. The maize and blue were eliminated on Sunday in double-overtime to the Miami Redhawks for their place in the Frozen Four.

>>>Also eliminated over the weekend were the Cornell Big Red and the Denver Pioneers. With that came the end of their college careers for seniors Colin Greening (Cornell) and Rhett Rakhshani (Denver). Both arrived in Thunder Bay on Monday for their assignments from Wendt and the Timberwolves.

>>>All six players will remain in Thunder Bay through Saturday. When the Timberwolves return home to take on the Dayton Musicmen.

>>>"We have an awesome fan base and it's an experience that cannot be described in words what a game at the CN Gardens is like," said Wendt. "It's important to witness it and adds more motivation to someday be out there with that 'TB' on your chest and being part of something special."

>>>On Sunday, the prospects will head to Duluth, Minnesota and get their first pro experience with the Pups in their last few remaining games.

DESPITE LOSS, WOLVES ARE PLAYOFF-BOUND!

Thunder Bay, ON- Fresh off a 9-2 loss at home to the Karlstad Killers, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves learned that they were guaranteed a spot in the playoffs.

>>>It was actually a 2-1 loss by the Havana Moon to the Hawaii Sandblasters that led to this first in Timberwolves history. Havana holds the 17th slot in the rankings (top-16 make playoffs) and their loss meant that Thunder Bay wouldn't mathematically fall past the 16th spot no matter if they lost the rest of the season.

>>>The news was met with excitement and the reality of the opportunity with the Timberwolves players, coaches and management.

>>>"This was one of our goals at the start of training camp in September," said general manager, Blake Wendt. "There is still alot to work on as a hockey club before then. We can't and won't pack it in for the remainder of the season. But we know we've got a post-season, and that is exciting."

>>>"It stung to lose the way we did to Karlstad," said rookie, T.J. Oshie (pictured). "And I don't think any of the guys thought for a second that we'd lose a game and be rewarded with the news of clinching a playoff spot all in the same day. No matter who we end of playing then, we'll be ready. We have to be." Oshie was the lone scorer in the 9-2 loss on Saturday. Both tallies coming on the power play.

>>>"Getting to the playoffs is great for this club and the city of Thunder Bay," said Thunder Bay-native, Patrick Sharp. "We have the greatest, most supportive fans in the league. They've supported us since the beginning. Watched some pretty bad hockey and still showed up. For this season and beyond, they will be rewarded with the hardest working brand of hockey out there."

>>>IN OTHER NEWS...

>>>With the NCAA hockey playoffs in full swing, the Timberwolves still have several prospects competing. But for others, it's either back to the classroom fulltime or the beginning of their professional career.

>>>The Timberwolves announced on Sunday that the following prospects have been assigned to their minor-league affiliate in Duluth, Minnesota:

>>>

>>>Forward, Ryan Thang (Notre Dame)

>>>Forward, Mike Carman (Minnesota)

>>>Forward, Jay Barriball (Minnesota)

>>>

>>>Barriball missed most of his senior season at Minnesota with a torn ACL. He is still recovering and will likely continue his rehab at the Timberwolves training facility in Thunder Bay.

>>>The following prospects remain in the NCAA playoffs:

>>>

>>>Cornell: Colin Greening

>>>Denver: Rhett Rakhshani & Patrick Weircioch

>>>Michigan: Chris Summers

>>>North Dakota: Ben Blood, Brett Hextall, Danny Kristo & David Toews

>>>St. Cloud State: Dan Dunn & Mike Lee

>>>Wisconsin: Derek Stepan

>>>

>>>In other NCAA News, Danny Kristo (North Dakota) was named the WCHA Rookie of the Year and Louis Leblanc (Harvard) was a runner-up as the ECAC Rookie of the Year.

SHARP'S 'GORDIE' HELPS WOLVES DULL SPURS

DEN [ 3 ]
THU [ 4 ]
>>>
Thunder Bay, ON- The Timberwolves can smell the playoffs. Opponents beware... they are not backing in either.
>>>Coming off of three straight wins, Thunder Bay came home after a 4-1 win at Reykjavik to welcome the 2007-08 CCHL Cup Champion, Denver Spurs to the Canadian National Gardens.
>>>"They (Timberwolves players) are very focused right now," said general manager, Blake Wendt. "As focused as I've ever seen them."
>>>Things started off quiet for both teams to open the game. Denver playing more cautious, and Thunder Bay not giving their visitors much room in the offensive zone.
>>>But at 17:11, Vinny Lecavalier broke the scoreless tie for his 29th of the season off a break-away and some nifty deking on Jonas Hiller.
>>>Having the lead was not enough for the Spurs, and Milan Lucic tried to find a Timberwolves player to dance with. No takers at first, but after some after-the-whistle stickwork on Thunder Bay's leading scorer Marian Gaborik, Patrick Sharp (pictured) finally had had enough and dropped the mitts with Lucic at 19:14. A spirited bout that seemed to have the opposite result than what the Spurs were looking for. As eventually Sharp held his ground and rallied his club and his home fans behind them.
>>>The first period would end with Denver up 1-0.
>>>The middle period took off with the same physicality that the first ended with. Hits were hard and the hits were often on both sides. But at 8:37, Denver's Craig Rivet crossed the line and checked Thunder Bay's Bryan Little face-first into the glass. While the rookie lay motionless for a brief period. His captain, Keith Ballard look several gloved swings at the face of Rivet before linesmen quickly moved in. Rivet recieved two minutes for boarding and a 10-minute misconduct. Although Little did eventually skate off under his own power and finish the game, his teammates were none too pleased with the incident.
>>>"Rivet's a vet and knows better," said Sheldon Souray. "That hit has no place in the game. He could've let up and he didn't. Lucky the kid (Little) wasn't hurt too bad."
>>>While 4-on-4, Patrick Sharp tied things up at 9:13 for his 17th from Jay McKee and Matt Niskanen.
>>>But at 11:36, Lecavalier scored his second of the game to put Denver back on top. Matt Hunwick was the salt in the Timberwolves wound at 15:48. Putting the Spurs up 3-1 going into the final period.
>>>"It was disapointing to have that third one go in," said centre, Mike Fisher. "We weren't being outplayed. But one mistake and turnover and it's a killer."
>>>Jonas Hiller was locked in for the third period. The Spurs came out firing and the Swiss tender was a wall for the Timberwolves. With Hiller securing the backend, Thunder Bay focused on getting back the two-goal deficit.
>>>Sheldon Souray brought his club within one with a blast from the inside the left faceoff circle for his 17th of the season at 5:36.
>>>Thirteen seconds later and the Spurs were in big trouble. Ales Hemsky skated in on Pekka Rinne uncontested and roofed the tying goal over the Finns shoulder for his 15th of the season.
>>>Not looking to go to overtime, Denver kept the pressure on the Timberwolves defense and kept shooting from anywhere on Hiller. Hoping for something to sneak through.
>>>But Hiller remained un-passable and stopped all of the Spurs twenty shots in the third period.
>>>Also not looking to go to overtime were the Timberwolves. Namely, Marc Savard who took a tape-to-tape feed from Sharp to fake the pass back to Sharp and shoot it five-hole on the Spurs goalie to put Thunder Bay ahead for the first time in the game at 14:42.
>>>The lead would hold and the Timberwolves won their forth in a row and are 8-2-1 in their last ten.
>>>"It's a very good win," said a subtle Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartburg. "They didn't get down and never let up in pursuit of every goal. If you didn't know the score and missed the first sixty minutes, you'd never know we were down 3-1. Alot of poise and determination was what they guys showed out there. But more than anything, we would have definately been killed without Jonas (Hiller). He saved the game. Literally."
>>>
>>>3-STARS
>>>***Vincent Lecavalier (DEN) - 2 goals
>>>**Patrick Sharp (THU) - Goal, assist and a fight (Gordie Howe Hat trick)
>>>*Jonas Hiller (THU) - 38 saves (20 in the 3rd period)
>>>
>>>Next game: Thursday vs Havana (26-38-6)

ELLIOTT'S FIRST KEEPS WOLVES HOT

>>>
THU [ 5 ]

WIN [ 2 ]

>>>

Winnipeg, MB- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves headed west to Winnipeg on Friday. Hoping to continue their strong play despite being a bit nicked up.

>>>One of those hurt is backup goaltender, Joey MacDonald (expected back this weekend). Giving another opportunity to rookie netminder, Brian Elliott.

>>>Elliott, who earned the backup job out of training camp to then starter Tim Thomas, has struggled in his first CCHL season. Eventually losing his seat on the Timberwolves bench and moved to the Duluth Pups in the minors. Elliott was the starter against the Ferrets.

>>>The gameplan for Winnipeg was to get into the Newmarket, Ontario-natives head early and often. Eventually peppering Elliott with fourteen shots in the opening period. It took David Booth 1:19 to notch his 26th goal of the season past the Timberwolves goalie.

>>>At 10:10, Mark Stuart made it 2-0 Winnipeg. A score that would hold up into the first intermission.

>>>"I thought Elliott's positioning was good," said Timberwolves assistant coach, Ryan McGill. "He looked good this morning at the skate, brought it up a notch in the warm-up and I couldn't blame him for the two that got in there. Maybe over-committed on the last one. But it was good to see him being aggressive."

>>>At 8:07 into the second period, Sheldon Souray broke up a pass at his blueline and took the puck in alone on Semyon Varlamov. The young Russian panicked when the bull moose-Souray loaded up for his patented slapper, then faked it and back-handed his 14th of the season to cut the score in half.

>>>At 13:51, Souray did not fake the bomb and unloaded a blast from the point through a screened Varlamov to tie things up at two.

>>>From there momentum was clearly in Thunder Bay's favour. Elliott seen little work in the middle frame and ended up makes saves on all three of the shots he seen.

>>>"We were where we needed to be," said Timberwolves defenseman, Matt Niskanen. "We didn't concede the blueline and the forwards kept their sticks in the passing lanes and kept them to the boards and forced them to dump and chase."

>>>The third period was all Thunder Bay --again.

>>>Bryan Little broke the tie at 5:11, and the Timberwolves never looked back.

>>>The Ferrets did eventually find more room to take their shots. But Elliott was on his game by then and stopped all nine shots faced in the third.

>>>Marc Savard took a break away in on Varlamov and doubled the Timberwolves lead at 8:39.

>>>Rookie, T.J. Oshie closed out the scoring at 16:41 for his 18th of the season.

>>>

>>>3-STARS

>>>***TJ Oshie (THU) - Goal and an assist

>>>**Brian Elliott (THU) - 1st career CCHL win; 24/26 saves and 2 goals against

>>>*Sheldon Souray (THU) - 2 goals

>>>

>>>Next Game: Sunday @ Reykjavik (21-40-8)

WOLVES SIGN CENTRE

Thunder Bay, ON- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves have signed free-agent centre, Mike Zigomanis to a pro-rated, one-year contract.

>>>The North York, Ontario-native is known as a face-off specialist. Something the Timberwolves have been lacking all season.

>>>"Despite our position in the standings and our overall record, our puck possession game is very lacking," said Timberwolves general manager, Blake Wendt. "Game in and game out we've been losing those battles in the face-off circle. For any club to have consistent success, you need the puck on your stick. Seems simple enough, but you need the puck to score goals. First step is winning in the face-off circle. Mike Zigomanis was brought in specifically for that. It's his thing if you will. He's very good at it."

>>>Zigomanis will join the club for Monday mornings skate after they enjoyed an extended weekend in southern California. He is expected to be in the lineup for Tuesday's contest against the defending CCHL Champion Quebec Remparts.

>>>

>>>Mike Zigomanis

>>>6' 0" 195 lbs

>>>Jan. 17, 1981

>>>North York, ON

>>>Junior: Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)

THU [ 7 ]
BEV [ 2 ]
>>>
Beverly Hills, CA- For a player with the Thunder Bay Timberwolves Hockey Club, there are four ways to have your own banner hanging in the rafters at Canadian National Gardens. Your number retired, named a league MVP, score 50 goals or 100 points.
>>>Marian Gaborik has just landed himself a banner.
>>>The Timberwolves traveled to California after coming off a monster 9-1 win against Wisborg at home. They were looking to keep things rolling against the Lawmasters of Beverly Hills.
>>>Denis Grebeshkov tried to get the home team off to a hot start by scoring his 7th of the season at 3:08 in the first.
>>>Bryan Little answered almost three minutes later by scoring his 28th as a Timberwolves rookie.
>>>At 16:36 in the first, history was made for the three year old Thunder Bay club. Marian Gaborik took a feed from Tom Preissing and Sheldon Souray to become the first 50 goal scorer for the Timberwolves. There was no stopage in play, no curtain call from the crowd. This wasn't a home game for one. But Gaborik's linemate, Patrick Sharp did quickly retrieve the puck and it was secured with the Timberwolves trainers.
>>>After taking back-to-back penalties, the Lawmasters were beginning to struggle. Less than a minute after Gaborik's power play tally, Sharp would score one of his own from TJ Oshie and Bryan Little. Closing out the opening period with the visiting Timberwolves up 3-1.
>>>"This first period was a result of the confidence we built on against the Donuts and a continuation of our focus in practise," said Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard.
>>>The momentum and jump of the Thunder Bay players bled over into the second period.
>>>At 4:21, Ales Hemsky finished off what was some nifty passing between Ballard and Oshie for his 13th of the season.
>>>Lawmasters' Dany Heatley would close out the scoring in the second with his 49th goal.
>>>But the Timberwolves smelled blood and the third period was all theirs.
>>>First it was Little again with his 29th on the power play. Then it was... well... it was Little again for his 30th as a frosh. Hemsky and Ballard were credited with the assists on both.
>>>The game at this point was in hand for Thunder Bay. But at 17:27, Sheldon Souray blasted a shot from the point to signify how the Timberwolves have been playing the last couple games.
>>>"It was good to see the guys still had the push from our previous game," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "Sixteen goals for in two games is hard to maintain, but as the confidence builds so will the wins. We have to maintain an even keeled mentality more than anything though and focus on the next game.
>>>The focus will be hard to maintain though. As the team will remain in southern California through the weekend and not play again until Tuesday back at home. In fact the team plane flew back to Thunder Bay with the clubs equipment and gear immediately after the game and will be back this afternoon with the player's wives, girlfriends and kids for some fun in the sun.
>>>"It's a long season with long periods of time away from family," said Timberwolves general manager, Blake Wendt. "It's not often that we get a gift in the schedule like this, and in a place like this. Surely we wouldn't have planned a family weekend if this break happend in Iceland."
>>>
>>>3-STARS
>>>***Jonas Hiller (THU) - 32 saves, including 18 in the 1st period for the win
>>>**Bryan Little (THU) - 3 goals (1 PP) and an assist
>>>*Marian Gaborik (THU) - Power play goal... 50th of the season!
>>>
>>>Next Game: Tuesday vs Quebec (19-40-6)

WOLVES FEED ON DONUTS

WIS 1

THU 9

>>>

Thunder Bay, ON- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves finished off their home-at-home series with the Wisborg Donuts by taking an early lead on Wednesday and running with it.

>>>Nineteen seconds into the game, and Thunder Bay's Patrick Sharp put the home club up early. A lead that was never in jeopardy.

>>>At 7:49, Marc Savard doubled the lead with his 16th of the season from Marian Gaborik and Sharp.

>>>Sixty-three seconds later, Gaborik tallied his 49th goal from Matt Niskanen and Sharp's third point in the game.

>>>Wisborg would make the contest more respectable by closing out the opening period with one of their own from Enver Lisin at 15:03.

>>>"Everything was clicking for sure," said Sharp between periods. "From our skate this morning, to the warm-up and opening faceoff. We were focused as a team what we wanted to accomplish. We know the talent is here and what we're capable of. It's always been a matter of putting it all together."

>>>The second period started the same for the Timberwolves. Coming at Wisborg hard and without any backing off.

>>>David Perron scored his 21st of the season from Ales Hemsky (pictured) and Bryan Little. A line that was put together after Sharp came back from injury and resumed his role on the top line, and has been paying dividends ever since.

>>>Evidence enough twenty-one seconds after Perron's goal, Hemsky scored his 11th on the season after a missed blast from Sheldon Souray was left sitting on the Czech's stick in front of the crease. Hemsky added his 12th goal and Thunder Bay's 6th of the game at 9:12 in the second from Niskanen and Perron.

>>>Tom Preissing would take advantage of a man-advantage by scoring his first of the season from TJ Oshie and Ryan Johnson to close out the scoring through forty minutes.

>>>"We were mistake-free, but I thought the guys played with alot of energy and really honed in their talents," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg.

>>>The third period was much less entertaining for the Timberwolves faithful at Canadian National Gardens. It wasn't until 17:51 that Sheldon Souray winded up for his patented cannon, and fired through Erik Ersberg for his 12th goal.

>>>Marc Savard ended the massacre with four seconds remaining the the game with a flukey goal against a club that had little fight left in them.

>>>"We can't get too high on wins like these," said Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard. "It's a good win against a team we should beat. We'll take this and build on it. But we're not getting big heads because we put nine goals on the board. We have to stay even keeled."

>>>

>>>3-STARS

>>>***Sheldon Souray (THU) - Goal, 2 assists, 8 shots on goal and 3 hits

>>>**Ales Hemsky (THU) - 2 goals and 2 assists

>>>*Marc Savard (THU) - 2 goals and 2 assists

>>>

>>>Next game: Friday @ Beverly Hills (31-27-6)