Sharp adds second hat trick in as many games for the Timberwolves in rout over Black Wings
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Linz, Austria- While adding to the roster back in Thunder Bay, Blake Wendt's Timberwolves were adding goals in bunches on the Black Wings in Austria on Friday.
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Matt Duchene opened the games scoring in Linz when the rookie pivot made it 1-0 for the Timberwolves at 1:57 in. Less than a minute later at 2:42, Patrick Sharp [pictured] made it 2-0 for the Thunder Bay-native's 27th.
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A goal from Linz's Toby Petersen cut the lead in half at 3:12. But another from Sharp at 5:57 got that goal back. Only to be answered again by the Black Wings at 13:03 from Jason Spezza to make it 3-2 Thunder Bay.
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A late tally from Mike Fisher at 18:39 doubled up the Timberwolves lead going into the intermission.
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"We got a little off our game a few times out there," said Fisher at the break. "Too much time and space for them and they made the best of it. We have to tighten things up and clean up our zone a little more and we'll be successful."
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At 6:53 into the 2nd period, Sharp completed the hat trick while killing a penalty. The second 3-goal performance from a Timberwolves player in the last two games [John Tavares on Wednesday]. Marty St. Louis made it close again for Linz at 9:21 to make it 5-3. But Rick Nash's goal at 11:02 deflated the Black Wings chances.
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Another short handed goal for the Timberwolves' Antti Miettinen closed out the game's scoring and completed another Thunder Bay win at 7-3.
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"It's good to get this kind of production with so many guys out," said head coach Craig Hartsburg after the game. Marc Savard, Ales Hemsky and Carl Gunnarsson did not travel with the club due to injuries. "These are the kinds of games to build off of and keep the morale up. But each game's a test and we have some big ones coming up."
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The Timberwolves will get some much needed rest as they do not play again until Wednesday when they take on the Budapest Honved [36-17-6] at the Canadian National Gardens. Not only will Savard and Hemsky return then, but the Trade Deadline will have passed during that period. Something that kept the hockey club's general manager, Blake Wendt back in Thunder Bay.
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Wendt added scoring and depth on the blueline on Thursday night. The first deal announced was that of Long Island sending Mark Streit to Thunder Bay in exchange for rookie defenseman, Jason Garrison. Streit is currently tied for 3rd in the league in goals from a defensemen with 14. Garrison has been playing in the minors with Duluth in his first pro season since departing the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
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Within an hour of the Streit acquisition announced, a deal with Niagara Falls was released. The Thunder sent defenseman Andreas Lilja to the Timberwolves in exchange for centre Torrey Mitchell and Thunder Bay's 5th round draft pick in 2011. Lilja adds playoff depth for the Timberwolves and is a stout defensive defenseman to shut down the opposition. Mitchell, who was picked up as a free agent in the summer had only been recalled once on an emergency basis, but did not play at all.
>>>The Trade Deadline is Monday. Blake Wendt was not available for comment after making these most recent trades.
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>>>3-STARS
>>>>>*Patrick Sharp [THU] - 3 goals [hat trick] and an assist
>**Mike Fisher [THU] - 1 goal and 1 assist and 14/18 on face-offs
***Blair Betts [THU] - 3 assists
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