PROSPECT WATCH: ANDERS LEE

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Anders Lee (Centre)
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6' 2" - 216 lbs
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Born: July 3, 1990
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Edina, Minnesota, USA
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Acquired: 2009 CCHL Entry Draft (6th Round, 114th overall)
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Current Assignment: Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)
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2010-11 Assignment: Notre Dame (CCHA)
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2009-10 Stats (Green Bay - Season in Progress):
37 GP - 21 Goals (2pp/1sh) - 19 assists - 40 points - +25
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>>>After a successful high school career in Minnesota with St. Thomas Academy and Edina, Anders Lee has transitioned his game quite nicely to the United States Hockey League.
>>>Lee is the leading scorer on the USHL's best team in Green Bay. Thunder Bay Timberwolves general manager Blake Wendt, took in Lee's most recent game on Friday night as the Gamblers took on the second ranked USHL team Omaha Lancers in Omaha. The Edina, Minnesota-native would not disappoint his parent club.
>>>Green Bay would hold onto their league lead in points and Anders would end up scoring three of the Gamblers 5 goals in the 5-4 win.
>>>"This was the first we've watched Anders in person," said Wendt. "He's everything we hoped for and more when we drafted him this past summer. He's got a pro body and plays and all around pro game right now. We're happy that he chose the USHL route after high school and before heading to Notre Dame next season. Even though I think he could play at the college level right now without issue."
>>>Anders Lee is a former high school teammate of another Timberwolves prospect. Lee and Zach Budish played together at Edina High School. While Budish blew out his knee playing linebacker at Edina (where Lee was the starting quarterback) and missed all of his senior hockey season. The two developed some chemistry in their one season on the ice together. Budish is currently playing at the University of Minnesota.

WOLVES BOUNCE BACK IN BC

Victoria, BC- Having struggled the past couple of games, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves traveled to Victoria Island hoping to close out a nightmare of a road trip with something good to bring home.
>>>Thirty seconds into the contest against the Ronin, Thunder Bay's Marc Savard scored his 10th of the season from Nick Schultz and Marian Gaborik.
>>>Victoria's Joachen Hecht answered the bell with one of his own at 8:49 in the first.
>>>The scoring in the opening period would end there as the Timberwolves would outshoot the home club 10-6.
>>>"We're two close hockey clubs on paper and in the rankings," said Timberwolves assistant coach, Ryan McGill during the intermission. "On the ice it's no different. It's a game about who makes less mistakes is who is going to win in games like these. I thought we played tight and matched their intensity."
>>>The second periods lone goal came off the stick of Victoria's Ryan Getzlaf. His 12th of the season from Martin Havlat and Thunder Bay-native, Jordan Staal.
>>>Shots in the middle period favoured the Ronin 8-6.
>>>Having not won a game yet this season when down going into the third period, things looked bleak for the Timberwolves.
>>>But at 9:42, Ales Hemsky decided to change the fortunes of Thunder Bay. Scoring his 10th of the season from Bryan Little (pictured) and Matt Niskanen.
>>>Eighteen seconds later at 10:00, Marc Savard put the Timberwolves on top again with a snap shot off a couple quick passes from Patrick Sharp and Nick Schultz.
>>>Things looked bright for Thunder Bay taking a 'W' out of British Columbia.
>>>Jordan Staal tried to crush his hometown team's hopes at 15:38 when he tied things up with his 12th on the year.
>>>"We didn't really get down after Staal's goal," said Sharp. "The momentum swung in their favour and their fans got back in it, but we held our ground and still had alot of gas in the tank. We knew if we could get them to overtime and pressure them, we'd have a really good chance."
>>>Overtime it would be and for the first time this season, a win was in order when trailing after two periods. Off the opening faceoff, Bryan Little drove to the Ronin net and after a tape-to-tape feed from Radek Dvorak, Little fired a shot five-hole on the Victoria goaltender.
>>>"It's great to finally be rewarded for hard work and coming back with a solid win," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "The guys did all of the right things and didn't back down. Hopefully we can build on this and become more consistent."
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>>>3-STARS
>>>***Marc Savard (THU) - 2 goals
>>>**Jordan Staal (VIC) - Goal and an assist
>>>*Bryan Little (THU) - Game-winning goal and an assist

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2009-10 Mid-Season Report
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Record: 18-20-3 (.476)

League Rank: 12th (of 22 teams)

Offense: 16th (3.15)

Defense: 12th (3.39)

Powerplay: 2nd (20.3%)

Penalty Kill: 6th (85.5%)

Top-10s:
Goals: 10) Marian Gaborik (25)
Defense Scoring: 6) Bryan McCabe (32 points)
Defense Goals: 7) Bryan McCabe (9)
Assists: 10) Marc Savard (34)
Powerplay Goals: 3) Marian Gaborik (8)
Shutouts: T-1) Jonas Hiller (3)
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>>>"The first half of the season is kind of a push in terms of success versus our un-met goals," says Timberwolves general manager, Blake Wendt. "We first off wanted to get to this point at .500. So being two games under is not where we wanted to be. We'd also like to shore things up and become more respectable in the offensive and defensive zones. Being ranked at or above the eleventh spot would be my preferred spot to finish out the regular season. Some things I am pleased about is the scoring from the back end and our special teams. Something to build on and smooth out our overall game."
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A look at the future already here:
The Rooks
RW Bryan Little (18.6 41 21-9-30 +1 1ppg 110sog)
LW T.J. Oshie (19.0 41 10-13-23 +1 2ppg 99sog)
G Jonas Hiller (31 2.90 .914sv% 16-11-3 3so)
*G Brian Elliott (6 6.21 .824sv% 0-4-0) currently in the minors

PROSPECT WATCH: EYES ON THE FUTURE

Fargo, ND- With the big club currently overseas getting ready to take on the Copenhagen Crusaders, some of the management and scouts of the Thunder Bay Timberwolves hopped on AirWolf II (a Bombardier Global 5000) and headed south to Minnesota and North Dakota to get a look at some of their prospects.

>>>"Stats and video don't always give you the bigger picture on a players development," said Timberwolves general manager, Blake Wendt. "Getting eyes on is the best way to get a clear evaluation. We have a very good scouting department that is continuously keeping tabs on all our prospects. For me personally, I try to get out and see for myself all of the players in our organization.

>>>Any game between the Minnesota Golden Gophers and North Dakota Fighting Sioux helps with the travel. The Timberwolves have thirteen prospects between the two schools.

>>>A short forty-five minute flight from Thunder Bay to Minneapolis and Wendt and his scouts are in Mariucci Arena watching their future battle for and against each other on Friday night.

>>>Minnesota and North Dakota tied 3-3. With a Timberwolves prospect getting a point on five of the six goals. Minnesota's Pat White had a goal while Cade Fairchild and Zach Budish (pictured) each had two assists. North Dakota's Danny Kristo scored twice.

>>>After spending the night in the Twin Cities, Wendt and head amateur scout, Tony Hrkac took off for Fargo to take in a USHL tilt between the Force and Des Moines Buccaneers. The only Timberwolves prospect between the two teams is Fargo's and 2009 draft pick, Nick Oliver. But there are always others being watched.

>>>"Nick's a big kid that likes to throw his weight around," said Wendt. "Coming off a successful high school career at Roseau (MN), he's been struggling this season in Fargo for whatever reason. Some kids just don't translate that success in high school to the USHL. (Nico) Sacchetti didn't two years ago in Omaha, but his game is picking up at Minnesota. Sometimes it's a system that takes time to get accustomed to. Sometimes it's a lack of ice time. For Nick, it's a combination of it all. But he needs to earn the ice time.

>>>Nick Oliver has 2 goals and 7 assists and is a -1 in 33 games for Fargo this season. He will attend St. Cloud State University (MN) in the fall.

WOLVES RALLY FOR BIG WIN

VIC 3
THU 6
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Thunder Bay, ON- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves had two days off after their 2-1 loss in Calgary to think about what needed to change against the Victoria Ronin on Wednesday.
>>>"We had a players only meeting yesterday to iron some things out," said captain, Keith Ballard. "We'll keep what was said in house. But basically we all know we have to be more consistent from game to game. This is a tight group of guys here. Translating it out on the ice should not be as big as of an issue as it has been."
>>>The Ronin came to Thunder Bay as a team that maybe has not lived up to the expectations put upon them.
>>>"They've kind of been in the same boat as us this season," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "We knew going in it was going to be two very evenly matched clubs going at it.
>>>Jordan Staal, and Thunder Bay-native, opened up the scoring in the first period off of some fancy stickwork from Ryan Getzlaf and Martin Havlat.
>>>Five minutes later, Dustin Penner doubled up the score for Victoria for his fourth of the season from rookie, Patrik Berglund and Jay Bouwmeester.
>>>Things were not looking good for the Timberwolves. That was until Patrick Sharp scored sixty-four seconds after Penner to pull Thunder Bay within one. This was Sharp's first goal since being injured in November.
>>>But the punch in the gut came on the very next shift from Victoria, with a beautiful goal coming off the stick of Jere Lehtinen, fifteen seconds after Sharp's.
>>>Something needed to happen for the Timberwolves before they were taken out of this game early.
>>>That something came off of the fists of Sheldon Souray (pictured). Having battled the Getzlaf line throughout the first, Souray and the Timberwolves were getting a little tired of the after-whistle liberties being taken around their goaltender, Jonas Hiller. Finally having enough, Souray dropped the mitts with a willing Getzlaf and proceded to pummel the Ronin forward. A decisive fight that took the Timberwolves into the dressing room with something to build on.
>>>"Sheldon did what he had to do," said Bryan McCabe. "They'd been buzzing our goalie every shift and snuck in a couple goals there that Jonas couldn't see."
>>>The second period was all Thunder Bay.
>>>Sophomore forward, David Perron took a feed from Nick Schultz and Ales Hemsky in on Michael Leighton. Beating the Ronin 'tender five-hole.
>>>Marian Gaborik tied things up with his twenty-fourth of the season from Ballard and Marc Savard.
>>>"The Souray fight in the first was big for us for sure," said Schultz. "It completely lifted the spirits of everyone on that bench.
>>>In the third, the Timberwolves dominated and took it to the Ronin.
>>>At 3:58, Sharp would score is second of the game from Gaborik and Souray.
>>>Twenty-two seconds later and on the powerplay, McCabe blasted a shot from the point after Souray faked a cannon of his own before giving it to the St. Catherine's native.
>>>The icing of the cake came at the eight minute mark, when Souray took his patented shot from the point, beating the Ronin netminder just under his glove. Completing the "Gordie Howe Hattrick" for the Alberta-native.
>>>"We really came together as a team tonight," said Mike Fisher. "When people argue about whether fighting has a place in hockey or not. Look at this game right here. We were out of this game early. Heads were down and we were trying to do too much as individuals. We seen Jonas (Hiller) getting run out there and Sheldon took the matter into his own hands. Down two goals and to have someone step-up like that was exactly what we needed to get the blood flowing again."
>>>The Timberwolves next game is on Friday against the re-building Dayton Musicmen.
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>>>3 STARS
>>>***Marc Savard (THU) - 3 assists
>>>**Patrick Sharp (THU) - 2 goals, including the game-winner
>>>*Sheldon Souray (THU) - Goal, 2 assists and a fight won

WOLVES LOSE BY ONE IN SHARP'S RETURN

THU 1
CAL 2
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Calgary, AB- Patrick Sharp returned to the ice for the Thunder Bay Timberwolves for the first time of forty days due to injury. But his presence was not enough to overcome two powerplay goals from the Calgary Chinook on Sunday.
>>>Pavel Kubina opened the scoring for the Chinook at 6:05 in the first from Chris Drury and Alex Tanguay.
>>>Marc Savard put the visiting Timberwolves on the board at 12:07 in the second period. His eighth of the season from Marian Gaborik and Bryan McCabe.
>>>Although playing with more of an edge in recent weeks, the not usually physical defenseman, Matt Niskanen dropped the mitts with Calgary's goal-scorer, Kubina in the second. Niskanen was credited with the win after slamming Kubina on his back.
>>>Owen Nolan would close out the scoring and net the game winner for Calgary with another powerplay tally from Joe Pavelski and Kubina. Completing the "Gordie Howe Hattrick" for Kubina.
>>>In his return for the Timberwolves, Patrick Sharp played on the third line with Ethan Moreau and Bryan Little. While also playing the second units on both the powerplay and penalty kill. A total of 17 minutes, 2 shots and going 5-12 on faceoffs.
>>>"It's great to be back out there with the guys," said Sharp. "A win would've been great tonight, and hopefully with more time getting back into my skates and catching up to the game speed, I can contribute more for this club."
>>>"Patty played well tonight," said Timberwolves head coach Craig Hartsburg. "He wasn't a liability out there. And that's really all you can ask for after missing so many games. He'll work as hard as anyone to get his game back that he had before the injury."
>>>The Timberwolves have the next two days off and will play again back in Thunder Bay on Wednesday against the Victoria Ronin. Injured netminder, Jonas Hiller will likely be back in goal for that game.

PIETRANGELO SENT TO JUNIORS

Thunder Bay, ON- Just days after returning from the World Junior Championship in Saskatoon, Timberwolves prospect defenseman, Alex Pietrangelo has been sent back to the Ontario Hockey League.

>>>Rumours had been swirling around the status of the 2008 first-rounder for weeks. He had been a healthy scratch for the Duluth Pups a handful of times before being released to participate for Team Canada.

>>>Friday morning came the news that Pietrangelo had been traded from the Niagara IceDogs to the Barrie Colts in the OHL. A worst to first if you will. Within in hour of that announcement came the decision from the Thunder Bay Timberwolves management.

>>>"This is the best for the further development of a fine, young man," said general manager Blake Wendt. "We have the luxury of not having to rush our prospects and giving them all the time they need to grow and become pro players the moment they step onto the ice in the CCHL. Alex is of course not happy about being brought down a level after having a very good camp with us in the fall. But he's strong willed and has an excellent head on his shoulders. He understands that although this appears to be a step back for him. This is all for eventually making him a better pro player in the near future."

>>>Asked whether Pietrangelo would have been sent back to the OHL if he was not traded, Wendt had this to say.

>>>"No. But it was going to happen. The IceDogs are rebuilding, and to keep Alex without getting anything in return when he's gone next season just was not an option for them. With him now going to Barrie and them being one of the best clubs in the 'O', it's a win-win for everyone involved."

>>>Alex Pietrangelo will return to Duluth following the end of the OHL season.