WOLVES DROP GAME 2; HEAD HOME TIED

Gaborik's lone goal not enough

Copenhagen, Denmark- The Timberwolves knew they would have to play their best hockey in Game 2 against the Crusaders in order to deflate their potent offense. Despite their efforts, Copenhagen won 3-1 and both clubs head to Thunder Bay with the series knotted up at a game a piece.
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"We got off our game and they took advantage of that immediately," remarked defenseman, Keith Ballard after the game.
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What Ballard was referring to specifically was his own minor penalty at 5:12 in the first period. One that lead to Copenhagen's first goal of the game a mere :03 seconds later.
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The Crusaders would take that lead into the intermission. Thunder Bay held onto what their goaltender was giving them. A 20-save performance.
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In the middle period, Copenhagen double up their lead with a Tim Connolly break away tally at 6:18 and would again hold the Timberwolves scoreless through forty minutes of hockey.
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Marian Gaborik finally got Thunder Bay on the board at 14:22 into the third period for his 9th goal of the playoffs from Marc Savard and Rick Nash.
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But another Crusaders break away, this time with Marian Hossa being in alone on Lundqvist iced the game at 17:55 and Copenhagen took the 3-1 win.
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"We never really got to where we wanted to be in establishing our game," said defenseman Nick Schultz after the game. "Credit them for coming out with a good gameplan an making it happen. They set the tempo and dictated the flow of the game early and held onto it. We have some things to work on before Game 3."
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"There's some things we have to clean up in our overall game before the next one," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "Our guys stayed with them, but they [the Crusaders] didn't give us much room and we just need to fight through those situations. We'll make some modifications to our lineup, but nothing drastic. I just didn't like some of the matchups we had today."
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Game 3 is tomorrow at Canadian National Gardens in Thunder Bay.
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>>>3-STARS
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>>>*Mike Green [COP] - Power play goal
>>**Jimmy Howard [COP] - 1 goal against and 28 saves
>***Marian Gaborik [THU] - Goal