TIMBERWOLVES TAKE ANOTHER TO 7 GAMES!

Thunder Bay, Ont.- As the remaining playoff teams are set for the third round, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves are taking their time and making it last as long as possible after taking down the Budapest Honved 5-2 at Canadian National Gardens in dramatic fashion.
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"I don't think any team wants to go seven games in a series if they don't have to," said Timberwolves forward Rick Nash. "We have to. If it means we keep playing and going further into the post-season, then so be it. No one here wants this ride to end. We want it all."
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Through twenty minutes of grind-it-out hockey, both clubs remained scoreless. The Timberwolves with the advantage in shots at 11-5.
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At 4:05 into the second period, Henrik Sedin put Honved on top for his third of the playoffs from Zdeno Chara and Phil Kessel. Former Timberwolf Mason Raymond made it 2-0 for Budapest 3:59 later to put Thunder Bay clearly in the hotseat.
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But what every team hates when taking a lead into the final intermission is giving one up right before the break. Budapest did just that when Rick Nash cut the lead in half at 19:24.
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Momentum was carried into the dressing room and translated onto the ice immediately into the third period when Marian Gaborik notched his seventh of the post-season at :51 seconds in from Keith Ballard and John Tavares to tie things up 2-2.
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Gaborik added his second and the Timberwolves first lead of the game at 7:35 to the thunderous roar of the Thunder Bay faithful who were not yet ready to see their last game in northwest Ontario before they hit the lakes and links for summer.
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Captain Ballard put his club up by two :17 seconds after Gaborik to make it 4-2 7:52 into the third period. Erik Johnson iced the game at 19:26 for the empty netter to finish the game at 5-2 for the Timberwolves.
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"Huge. Absolutely huge," said defenseman Brooks Orpik after the game. "We all know what's at stake. It's not over, but we're still alive and kicking and that's all that matters for that plane ride back over there. We've done it before, we know what needs to be done and we're excited about keeping this going."
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"The guys did what needed to be done," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "The consequences of losing were simple. Our season was over. So there wasn't much that needed to be said before the game and at the intermissions. Heart overcame the opposition today and we need all we have tomorrow if we want this season to continue. I believe in this group and know that they will be more then ready to take their game to the next level, control their emotions and play a clear-headed, smart hockey game tomorrow."
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The Timberwolves took off for Budapest with a fully loaded plane of extra jerseys, gear, luggage and players for what they hope to be an extended stay in Europe. As the Copenhagen Crusaders await the winner.