WOLVES THROTTLE REMPARTS IN REMATCH

Nash creeps towards 20-goal mark with 2 in Quebec

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Quebec City, Que- For the Thunder Bay Timberwolves, Monday's matchup against Quebec was more than a revenge game after the Remparts dropped them on Saturday. It was about recovering from a 3rd period implosion that opened their eyes and refocused their minds to what it takes to be one of the elites--consistency.

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"It's humbling after being embarrassed like we were on Saturday," said Timberwolves alternate captain and forward, Patrick Sharp prior to Monday's game. "I think Craig [Hartsburg, head coach] said it best after that game. We let up on them when we should've kept the pressure on them and not give them the chances that we eventually did. We're a good team. But good teams become great when they work as one and play with the same intensity in the 59th minute as you did in the first."

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After being down 1-0 early in the 1st period, Thunder Bay's Blair Betts immediately answered and a pair from Marian Gaborik and Rick Nash [pictured] put the Timberwolves up 3-1 going into the first intermission.

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"We're all too aware of that this team [the Remparts] is capable of when given time and space," said Timberwolves defenseman Nick Schultz between periods. "We have to keep taking it to them and shove our game down their throats."

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In the 2nd period Thunder Bay did just that.

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Nash, along with Gaborik notched their second goals of the game, and a pair from Ales Hemsky and Sharp put the Timberwolves up 7-1 going into the final 20 minutes and in firm control.

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In the 3rd period though, Mike Fisher made it 8-1 before Quebec scored three more to close out the game with a 8-4 victory for the Timberwolves.

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"Minus some sloppiness there in the second half of the 3rd period I liked the resolve of these hockey team today," said Hartsburg after the game. "But we've got to focus on that entire 60 minutes every game. I was looking for more after that 8th goal out of our guys. But we did put up alot to breathe easier. I'd just prefer we not let up on anyone, no matter the score."

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The Timberwolves play again on Wednesday when they travel to Niagara Falls to take on the Thunder.

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>>>3-STARS

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>>>*Marian Gaborik [THU] - 2 goals and an assist

>>**Lee Stempniak [QUE] - 2 goals and an assist

>***Rick Nash [THU] - 2 goals

REMPARTS RALLY, STUN TIMBERWOLVES

Gaborik's two goals not enough to get past Quebec

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Thunder Bay, Ont- Everything was going right for the Timberwolves for 40 minutes on Saturday against the Quebec Remparts. Too bad the game went on for 25 more.
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Thunder Bay's leading scorer [Marian Gaborik, pictured] notched goals 40 and 41. TJ Oshie added a power play tally. A 4-2 lead was held going into the 3rd period. The Timberwolves had just potted 3 goals off of 28 shots on Quebec's Thomas Greiss. Momentum was clearly in the home club's favour. Why should they be worried? They were 31-0-1 when holding a lead after two periods. Even if the Remparts managed a comeback, Thunder Bay was still 3-0-8 in overtime. Too bad Quebec didn't care anything about that.
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Midway through the third period, Quebec mounted their comeback. At 16:16 they tied things up with a power play goal after a terrible penalty from Timberwolves defenseman Erik Johnson. The momentum had clearly swung.
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In overtime, it was a shot from Radim Vrbata that dropped the Timberwolves 5-4. Arguably their worst loss this season.
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"There is no sugar-coating this one," remarked a visibly upset Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg after the game. "Everything we did well in the first forty minutes was completely washed out by this absolutely poor excuse for hockey in that third period. No disrespect to Quebec, but I'm kicking my team's ass over this. Until we figure out a killer instinct on a consistent basis, we're in trouble. We let up on these guys and paid for it. It cannot happen again."
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Sticking to his guns, Hartsburg cancelled the scheduled day off tomorrow [Sunday]. They will practise early Sunday and then depart for Quebec City for their home-at-home rematch against the Remparts on Monday.
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If there was any doubt before about who's in the coach's doghouse, it was confirmed that Erik Johnson is.
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Johnson, who's ill-advised hook in the offensive in the third period that led to Quebec's tying goal on the power play, warmed up the bench in overtime. He will now not only not dress for Monday's rematch, but will not even travel with the Timberwolves there. Newly acquired Andreas Lilja has been promoted from the practise squad.
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"Nothing is given here," said Hartsburg. "This isn't personal with Erik. He's had his struggles in his game, and that penalty is indicative of that. He was out of position and scrambled to recover. Hopefully some time staying here and watching video and doing drills with the practise squad will rectify his game. We're serious here and need everyone to bring their A-game everyday."
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After Quebec on Monday, the Timberwolves remain on the road to take on Niagara Falls on Wednesday and Budapest on Friday.
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>>>3-STARS
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>>>*Radim Vrbata [QUE] - Game-winning overtime goal and an assist
>>**Marian Gaborik [THU] - 2 goals and a assist
>***Matt Duchene [THU] - 2 assists

WOLVES DROP HONVED, KEEP STREAKING

Kariya scores empty net goal in debut

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Thunder Bay, Ont- Keeping pace with the other top-tier hockey clubs in the CCHL, Thunder Bay unwelcomed the Budapest Honved by sending them on their way with a 3-1 Timberwolves victory on Tuesday.

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Making their debut in Thunder Bay, Paul Kariya [pictured] and Mark Streit were given prime opportunities to make an immediate impact with their new club. Streit played on the top defensive pairing with Anton Volchenkov, logged 25 minutes and 2 shots on goal. It wasn't until the final :34 seconds in the game that Kariya made it on the score sheet with an empty net goal. A gimme goal that could've easily come off the stick of the two assisting players, Ales Hemsky and Mike Fisher. Kariya also outshot every player on the ice with 8 shots on goal.

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"It was nice of the guys to set me up like that," said Kariya after the game. "It's been a crazy couple of days. But since I got here it's been great. The guys welcomed me in right away and it's been really comforting. There's alot of talent here, and some really great individuals that reflect the overall class of this organiztion."

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The Timberwolves will get back at it on Thursday when they welcome their provincial-rival, Niagara Falls Thunder [28-29-4] to Thunder Bay.

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>>>3-STARS

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>>>*Paul Kariya [THU] - Empty net goal [first with Timberwolves]; 8 shots

>>**Rick Nash [THU] - Goal

>***Erik Johnson [THU] - Goal; +3

NEW WOLVES TO MAKE DEBUT TUESDAY

Thunder Bay, Ont- The Trade Deadline has passed and as stated a day earlier, Blake Wendt and the Thunder Bay Timberwolves let it expire without any last second personal moves. At least not with another team.
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Two deadline acquired players will make their Timberwolves debut on Tuesday against the visiting Budapest Honved as per the line-up card submitted this morning to the league office.
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Defenseman Mark Streit [pictured] who was picked up from Long Island will wear #2 and be paired with Anton Volchenkov on Thunder Bay's top pairing.
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Left-winger Paul Kariya who was the last deal made by Wendt prior to the deadline with Prague, will wear #29 and start on the third line with Ales Hemsky centered by Mike Fisher.

WOLVES ADD KARIYA TO THE MIX

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Thunder Bay, Ont- Early Sunday morning the Thunder Bay Timberwolves announced the acquisition of veteren left-winger, Paul Kariya from the Prague Piranhas along with a fourth round draft pick in exchange for veteren defenseman Adam Foote and prospect forward Devante Smith-Pelly.
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On the eve of the CCHL Trade Deadline (following Monday's games) the Timberwolves announced the deal with Prague and that the roster is set for the season and playoff push.
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"We are pleased to introduce Paul Kariya as a member of the Thunder Bay Timberwolves Hockey Club. Paul brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and class to our dressing room, as well as much needed depth to our lineup and gives us plenty of options for each given opponent. We look forward to getting Paul out on the ice for us and taking this ride into the post season. As far as making any further moves before tomorrows trade deadline, we are done. This group is what we're going with and I am very optimistic about our chances in our ultimate goal this season. From top to bottom, up front and in the nets out, we are very deep and laden with top-tier talent. The players we've recently added only add to what was already a very tight group of guys. We've stuck to our gameplan with not only the talent, but we've added class individuals. People you wouldn't mind as your neighbour. An example being one of the first acts when Mr. Kariya arrived. As a veteren, it is normally your right to have 'your' sweater number if a younger players has it. Obviously the #9 has been a number synonymous with Paul throughout his career. Matt Duchene did not hesitate in offering it up when they met at the airport. Being a rookie, it was the right thing to do, and Matt did not even have to be asked. But Paul declined and said that it was Duchene's number and he'd take whatever was given to him. Truly a class act on both parts."
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Kariya has been given #29

SHARP CLIPS WINGS; WOLVES DEALING AT DEADLINE

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.

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The Trade Deadline is Monday. Blake Wendt was not available for comment after making these most recent trades.
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>>>3-STARS

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>>*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

HAT TRICK TAVARES

Tavares nets first career hat trick in win over Prague
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Thunder Bay, Ont- There's was no slowing down the Thunder Bay Timberwolves on Wednesday once they got started. Three goals within the first fifteen minutes were more than enough to hold onto an eventual 6-3 win for the home club.
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Despite injuries to two of their key forwards, the Timberwolves rallied around their freshmen corps to take down the Prague Piranhas. Ales Hemsky and Marc Savard missed this game and the next due to injury.
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TJ Oshie opened up the games scoring for the former North Dakota Fighting Sioux's 18th on the season from Rick Nash and Brooks Orpik at 4:06. Oshie making up a newly formed second line with Nash and centred by rookie John Tavares.
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Tavares got into the game at 8:29 for the Mississauga-native's 16th from Oshie and fellow rookie, Carl Gunnarsson. The Timberwolves first overall pick in 2009 was not done there. At 13:35 Tavares netted his second and Thunder Bay's third goal from Oshie and Nash. The 3-0 lead would hold into the first intermission.
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"Johnny's [Tavares] on fire," remarked linemate Rick Nash between periods. "He's a special player. Especially inside the offensive zone and in tight. He could notch a half a dozen today at this pace." Nothing like high expectations, eh?
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In the second period the Piranhas mounted a comeback. Although they are not likely to make the playoffs, they are a hockey club with alot of pride.
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A Martin Havlat goal at 2:43 was met with a Patrick Sharp tally at 8:44. But two more from Prague and a gruesome injury to Thunder Bay's Gunnarsson swung the momentum clearly in the Piranhas favour going into the second intermission.
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Gunnarsson was helped off the ice by the Timberwolves trainer midway though the second period after he was laid out by Ryan O'Reilly and remained motionless for about a minute. O'Reilly's hit was borderline illegal as it was high to the shoulder his glove grazing Gunnarsson's head. But the dazed Swede seemed more concerned with his shoulder or collar bone area. O'Reilly was not assessed a penalty on the play.
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"From my angle is surely didn't look clean," said Timberwolves assistant coach Ryan McGill. "Looked like Gunny took a shot to the head and nothing was called. But the ref saw it differently, and I guess that's all that matters. It's a big loss for us."
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In the third period, Thunder Bay unloaded a barrage of shots on Brian Boucher. At 14:32, John Tavares completed his first career hat trick with assists from Nick Schultz and Oshie.
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At 18:56 Steve Sullivan netted his first Timberwolves goal while on the power play from Matt Duchene and Marian Gaborik.
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The Timberwolves learned after the game that Gunnarsson is lost for at least the next ten games with an upper-body injury. They will travel to Austria on Friday to take on the Linz Black Wings [23-30-5].
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>>>3-STARS
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>>>*John Tavares [THU] - Hat trick
>>**TJ Oshie [THU] - 1 goal and 3 assists
>***Rick Nash [THU] - 2 assists