WOLVES FORCE GAME 7

Rick Nash

Quebec City, Que.- In what many of the Timberwolves players were calling the "game of our lives" and "nothing bigger", need to now bring it up one big notch after beating the Remparts 4-2 on Monday to force a Game 7 on Tuesday back in Thunder Bay.
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"For more than the obvious reasons to stay alive and dig deeper into the post-season," remarked Timberwolves alternate captain, Mike Fisher. "We needed to come in here and prove to ourselves that we are better than how we've been playing so far. Getting shutout and losing like we did in Game 5 [6-0] was about as embarrassing as it gets. Our fans who have been there for us every game and keep selling that place out through it all. They deserved so much more than what we left them with. Now we have an opportunity to come home and make it up to them. It doesn't get any bigger then here and now. It's not a Game 7 in the Final. But it's still a Game 7. If you can't get up for that and give it everything you have inside of you. Then you're in the wrong profession. We will be ready. There is no other option."
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Monday's Game 6 got off on a good foot for the Timberwolves early. An ill-advised trip by Quebec's Antoine Vermette just :15 seconds into the game, was answered with a Rick Nash power play tally :19 seconds later to put Thunder Bay up 1-0.
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A shooting gallery of sorts in the middle period had the Timberwolves putting 16 shots on Jaroslav Halak. Three of them finding the back of the net from Fisher, TJ Oshie and Patrick Sharp. Sharp's goal catching the Rempart's goaltender between the top of his left pad and pants before dipping five-hole to make it 4-0. Quebec's trainer immediately came out to Halak and after some flexing and grimacing, he stayed in through the second period.
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Sensing that they had a lame moose in front of them, the Timberwolves did what Timberwolves do and... well, hit up Sheldon Souray to unleash a low blast from the point at the 1-minute mark of the 3rd period. The shot hit it's mark. Low on a hobbling goaltender who had to be assisted off the ice by teammates and trainers. For the second time in this series, Thomas Greiss came in relief for his injured comrade.
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Two goals from the Remparts in the 3rd period made the game closer. But in the end it would be the Timberwolves who took the win with them on the way back to Thunder Bay.
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"None of us want this to end," said TJ Oshie after the game. "We had all the motivation in the world coming in here after getting stomped on in the last one. It's something to transform all that anger and embarrassment into something like what we did today. It's great to keep this going, but we're not satisfied with this. We have 60 minutes or more of the best hockey of our lives coming up. We have to give it everything we have in our heart and soul and ability tomorrow. It's got to be the game of our lives."
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3-STARS
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>>>*Rick Nash [THU] - 1 goal
>>**Carl Gunnarsson [THU] - 2 assists
>***TJ Oshie [THU] - 1 goal