MID-SEASON MARK MET WITH 11-GAME STREAK

Gaborik leads team with 48 points at mid-season
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Beverly Hills, Calif.- Looking to extend their winning ways in southern California, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves did just that by defeating the Beverly Hills Lawmasters, 3-2 on Friday for their 9th in a row.
>>>Riding an 8-game win streak and points in the last 10, the scoring started with Marc Savard's 9th goal of the season in the first and ended with Ales Hemsky's 19th and 5th game-winner. In between there was Marian Gaborik's [pictured] team-leading 28th while on the power play and a pair from the Lawmasters.
>>>"To say I was expecting the results of this season so far would be a huge exageration," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "We knew we would be successful. We knew we had a special group of players here. But I did not in my wildest dreams think that we'd be this successful this season thus far. As a manager you are naturally cautiously optimistic. Let's be real here. We were bringing in three rookies, possibly four going into the season. We had alot of new faces that you're always not sure how guys gel. I knew the talent was here. Just wasn't sure how long the chemistry would take to build. But it's also only the midway point. There's alot of hockey to be played and anything can happen. The true test of this team will be that next loss. We're clicking now and everyone is peaked with confidence. Hopefully the guys are inwardly staying as even keeled as they've shown through this stretch. If we can come back to form after a loss and get back to it right away... then we'll know for sure what this club is capable of. Showing up for the next game after a win is easy. The hard part is showing your resolve after a loss."
>>>At the mid-season mark of 41 games the Timberwolves are first overall in the CCHL with a record of 27-8-6 for 60 points (followed by Copenhagen 26-10-5 57 pts and Budapest 26-12-3 55 pts). Offense is ranked 4th (4.02) and defense 3rd (2.80). Special teams is nothing special as Thunder Bay sits 11th and 10th respectively.
>>>The Timberwolves continue the second half of the season on the road against the North Dakota Ibex (16-22-3) on Sunday and a home-at-home Monday against the Ibex at Canadian National Gardens.
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>>>3-STARS
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>>>*Ales Hemsky (THU) - Game-winning goal and an assist
>>**Johan Franzen (BEV) - Game-tying goal
>***Henrik Lundqvist (THU) - 33 saves