WOLVES BOLSTER BLUELINE

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves have updated their defense with the acquisition of defenseman, Nick Schultz from the Hawaii Sandblasters for winger, Loui Eriksson.

-The twenty-six year old, Strasbourg, Saskatchewan native is expected to be with the team in Hamilton on Friday.

-"We identified a need for another defenseman in in Training Camp," said GM Blake Wendt. "The guys we had before this deal are more than capable of carrying this club for years to come. But I never felt comfortable with only a couple guys with experience at this level. Schultz is still young and will very much be apart of our future. But at the same time, he brings that experience. He plays a game that alot of our prospects play. He plays with poise and heart. His puck moving, skating and speed definitely opens up our game from the back end. His defensive game is solid. He's got the speed to stay with the oppositions elite. He's got the size to match the power forwards and clear his goalies crease. All in all, we're excited to bring Nick Schultz to this hockey club. We wish all the best for Loui. He played a very important role for us and will be missed. We felt though, that with the forward talent coming up in the next few years, and the need for a defenseman now. This was a move we had to make."

-Schultz will be wearing #7 for the Timberwolves. The #55 he wore in Hawaii is not available in Thunder Bay. As a team mandate, starting player can only have a number between 1 and 35.

-Not yet confirmed, but it is believed that Niklas Grossman is the odd-man out with Schultz in the lineup. The Swedish rookie will probably be demoted to the practice squad initially and then eventually sent down to the Duluth Pups.

WOLVES COMEBACK, COME UP SHORT

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- Coming off a come from behind opener on Monday night, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves came into Wednesday nights contest to prove they were no one hit wonder.
-In an almost identical game from Monday, the Timberwolves kept pace with the Quebec Remparts through two periods. The Remparts with the 1-0 advantage on the scoreboard though going into the third.
-Having only scored in the third period in their previous game (and winning), Thunder Bay looked to repeat themselves. Loui Eriksson opened up the scoring for the Timberwolves at 3:49 into the third.
-Quebec's Radim Vrbata took the lead back at 11:32. A goal that should have took some wind out of Thunder Bay's sails.
-It did until 18:43, when Patrick Sharp (pictured) deked around two Rempart defenders to tie things back up.
-"We had the momentum, and we all felt we could pull out another win," said Sharp. "The place was nuts, and we thought for sure we could make it happen."
-With twelve seconds remaining, Quebec's Ray Whitney crushed all hope of a comeback. Thunder Bay took their first loss 3-2. Quebec remains unbeaten.
-"They were coming off a big win the other night (10-2 vs Hamilton) against a pretty good team," said TImberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "Obviously we're a young team and coming off our own win on Monday. Credit to our coaching staff and the players for staying level headed after that win, and coming into this game and keeping pace with a club that had just kicked the crap out of a team that some would argue is better than us. No one likes to lose, but on a positive note, we played a decent all around game."
-Thunder Bay was outshot 26-36. Face-offs and puck possession were fairly even. If there was one part of the Timberwolves game that desperately (can you be desperate after two games?) need to work on is their power play. They were 0-8.
-"I think there's things to be worked on," said Wendt. "But again, we're a very young club. Our rookies are trying to find their niche. Nisky (Matt Niskanen) took more shots and showed more poise. (Torrey) Mitchell didn't repeat his 2-point performance from the opener, but he took shots and initiated hits. They'll all come around. They wouldn't be up here if we didn't think they were ready."
-The Timberwolves play again on Friday in Hamilton. The Predators came back from their embarrassing loss to Quebec on Monday to beat Niagara Falls last night 4-1.
-3 STARS...
#1 Ray Whitney (QUE) - Game-winning goal & assist
#2 Patrick Sharp (THU) - Game-tying goal & assist
#3 Chris Osgood (QUE) - 24 saves, 2 goals against in win

WOLVES 2-0 IN OPENERS

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- The Thunder Bay Timberwolves opened up their regular season on Monday night in front of 19,434 at the Canadian National Gardens against the Niagara Falls Thunder.
-After a long summer and what seemed like a longer player introduction, the Timberwolves were eager to erase memories of their nine wins from last season.
-Things did not start off great, as the Thunder scored the first and only goal of the first period. It remained 1-0 Thunder through the first two periods.
-"We played pretty tight through forty minutes," said Thunder Bay head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "They're a physical team and the hits were there. But only holding a one goal lead, they seemed to back off a little bit with initiating the checks and focused more on plugging up the neutral zone."
-Niagara would double their lead three minutes into the third. But the Timberwolves finally answered with a rare shorthanded goal from one of their defensemen.
-Rookie, Torrey Mitchell (pictured) intercepted a Thunder pass and took the puck to the red line where he made a slick pass to Quintin Laing. Laing in turn fed a rushing Tom Preissing, who beat a diving Manny Legace. Mitchell's assist was his first CCHL point.
-Less than five minutes later, Thunder Bay's Loui Eriksson evened things out with a power play tally from Patrick Sharp and Keith Ballard.
-At 17:53, Thunder Bay native, Sharp scored the game winning goal in front of a rabid crowd.
-"To come back in the third and take this game was what we need to build on as a team," said Sharp. "As one of the new guys here, it was amazing how loud this crowd gets. I remember coming here with Wisborg last season and just being in awe at the passion. It's great to be here and home."
-Quintin Laing adding the icing to the cake with his empty netter to close out a 4-2 win for the Timberwolves. Their second Opening Night win in their two-year existence.
-"It's always nice to win that first one out of the gate," said Hartsburg. "But we won this one last year and only won eight more the rest of the season. We have to stay even keeled and focused every night."
-The Timberwolves had Tuesday night off, but play again tonight against the Quebec Remparts. The Remparts are coming to Thunder Bay with the same one days rest and a 10-2 thumping of the Hamilton Predators on Monday night.
-"They're explosive and dangerous," said captain, Keith Ballard. "Hamilton's a pretty good team, and whether they were prepared or not. Letting ten goals in is more than being unprepared. The Remparts simply outplayed them and embarrassed the Preds."
-Former Timberwolf, Dustin Byfuglien scored two goals for the Remparts in that game.
-"It looks like Buff (Byfuglien) is getting the minutes there that he couldn't get here," said Ballard. "He's obviously taking advantage of that, and our job tonight will be to try and limit his and their chances."
-3 STARS from Monday's game...
#1: Patrick Sharp (THU) - GWG & Assist
#2: Torrey Mitchell (THU) - 2 assists (1st CCHL points)
#3: Antero Niittymaki (THU) - 30 saves; THU was outshot 32-19

WARM-UP OVER... LET'S PLAY HOCKEY!

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- In their fifth and final pre-season game, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves looked good against an explosive Havana Moon club.
-Through the first period though, Havana looked to dominate with goals already from Jaromir Jagr and Alex Ovechkin and a third from Kris Beech.
-"We never backed down," said Timberwoves captain, Keith Ballard. "This team has some resiliency and heart, and it's going to be tough this season to keep us from having our heads high and attitudes up."
-At 12:15 of the second period, Thunder Bay native Patrick Sharp (pictured) opened up the scoring for the Timberwolves. His goal woke up the sold-out CN Gardens.
-"It was electric in this place," said Sharp. We were still down two goals, but they didn't care. Maybe they knew something."
-The fans must have. Because with four seconds left in the second, and shorthanded, Sharp took a feed from Loui Eriksson and beat Martin Biron five-hole.
-"To score that late in a period and feed off of it during the intermission is huge," said Sharp.
-Momentum was clearly in the Timberwolves' favour when the final period opened. Still down a goal, that didn't stop Thunder Bay or their rabid fans from pushing on.
-At 10:33, fourth-line grinder Tom Kostopoulos tied it all up with a breakaway goal.
-With less than three minutes remaining in the game, Dean McAmmond netted his first of the pre-season to win it for the Timberwolves.
-"Pre-season or not. This was a very big game for us," said Ballard. "We showed what we know we are capable of. Down 3-0 to a team like this. With all their skill and offense. And to come back and score four straight and win in regulation. Very big for us. A great way to finish out the pre-season and ready ourselves for the games that matter."
-Thunder Bay finishes the pre-season with a 3-1-1 record. Sharp led the way with four goals and two assists. Tom Preissing led the D with two goals and an assist. Josh Harding played the first three games, going 2-1-0 with a .867 save percentage and 4.33 GAA. Antero Niittymaki played the last two games, going 1-0-1 with a .935 save percentage and 1.92 GAA.
-"The lineup we had against Havana probably won't change much for Opening Night," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "Might be a flip of the coin with who's in net though. Harding got lit up against Dayton, but otherwise looked good against Niagara and Denver. Nitty only allowed one goal against River Cities, and looked great against Havana. So I'm sure they'll rotate throughout the season unless one takes over and vastly out plays the other."
-The Timberwolves open up their 2008-09 season at home tonight against their divisional rival, Niagara Falls Thunder.

DAYTON DOMINATES PACK

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- What a difference a night makes. After beating the defending CCHL Champion, Spurs in a come-from-behind victory in front of their home crowd. The Thunder Bay Timberwolves played a dud of a contest against the 2006-07 Champion, Dayton Musicmen.
-It took thirteen seconds for the Musicmen to bring the Timberwolves back to earth with a nifty goal from Milan Michalek.
-At 1:22 in the first, it became quite apparent that Dayton was in Thunder Bay to polish up on their goal-scoring abilities when Marian Gaborik went 1-on-1 with Josh Harding. Beating the tender five-hole.
-Seventeen seconds and a Sergei Gonchar lamp lighter later, it became even more apparent that the Timberwolves were not prepared for their opponent. Mats Sundin put the kids of the Lakehead to bed. Making it 4-0 within the first eight minutes of the game.
-Determined not to be shutout in the period though, Radek Dvorak scored a fluke, weak goal over the shoulder of Dayton's Craig Anderson.
-At the 11:34 mark of the first, Dayton's Milan Hejduk wanted to see if his club could also score shorthanded. Taking a hooking penalty in the neutral zone. They would not, and Thunder Bay's defenseman Tom Preissing scored from the right circle off a quick snap shot, beating Anderson just under his glove.
-The second period was far from interesting from a fans perspective. The Timberwolves played a cautious game. Not venturing too deep with the puck and plugging up the neutral zone to keep the game within reach.
-That plan worked for most of the second. But Dayton did finally break through with just over two minutes to go off another Michalek goal.
-While being outskated for most of the game. The Timberwolves came into the third, initially being able to stay with their superior opponent. That was until someone forgot Milan Hejduk needed to be covered. The Czech took an un-contested breakaway, beating Harding after what seemed like a couple dozen dekes.
-Dayton would end up scoring two more to finish the game with eight to Thunder Bay's two.
-"Not a good game for us obviously," said Thunder Bay head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "Highs were too high, and lows too low. We weren't out of it in the first. Cutting their lead in half was big for us going into the first intermission. We matched their intensity in the second, but couldn't chip in any to make the score closer. Eventually we had a lapse and they made us pay. The third period we just couldn't hang with them. We did for a little bit, but they out worked us and we simply couldn't catch them on the scoreboard and our defense cracked towards the end."
-In other team news, defenseman-turned-forward, Dustin Byfuglien was traded to the Quebec Remparts with prospect goalie Thomas Greiss for prospect forward James Neal and prospect goalie Brian Elliott. Byfuglien had been a healthy scratch in the Timberwolves' two previous pre-season games.
-"We didn't trade Buff (Byfuglien) because we lost faith in him," said GM Blake Wendt. "We were having issues getting him in the lineup because of depth on the wings. He played all summer on the wing and we felt that that was where he needed to be to be the most effective in this league. As opposed to defense. I think he'll have a better opportunity in Quebec and we wish him the best of luck. We're very happy about the players we've acquired though. Neal is the complete package in our opinion. He's big and only getting bigger. Plays a sound all-around game, nice hands and wheels and an excellent work ethic. Elliott is someone we've pursued for awhile now. He had an outstanding collegiate career at Wisconsin. He's got very good size, agility and positions himself well. We see him as someone that will fight for a starters job here in the near future."

WOLVES HOWL LOUDER THAN THUNDER

THUNDER DOME (Niagara Falls, ON, Canada)- For the Thunder Bay Timberwolves, this pre-season game against their divisional rival couldn't come soon enough.
-"It's been a long summer," said captain, Keith Ballard. "A lot of time to think about last season, and work to improve for this season."
-The Timberwolves won a league low nine games in their inaugural season last year. Their position in the league was not a surprise to anyone in the CCHL. The number of wins though did not sit well with Thunder Bay managment, fans and returning players.
-"It's an embarrassment," said Ballard. "We weren't expecting to be one of the better teams. We started off focused and poised. But for whatever reason we lost that and were completely dominated too often.
-With five rookies and only a handful of returnees in their lineup. The Timberwolves arrived in Niagara Falls with a youthful jump and a fresh start.
-Like years past, the penalty-prone Thunder took all of sixteen seconds to put themselves a man down when Jonathan Toews took a minor. The Timberwolves would not capitalize, but the tone of the game was set.
-One of Thunder Bay's newest acquisitions, Kyle Brodziak took a feed from Ballard and Dean McAmmond and buried it behind Jason LaBarbera at just over the five minute mark of the game.
-Niagara Falls would even things up when German speedster, Marco Sturm beat the 'wrong handed', Josh Harding three minutes after Brodziak's tally.
-The first period ended without anymore goals. But did introduce the Timberwolves to the Thunder's pesky, Steve Downie. Downie spent seven minutes of the first in the penalty box. Five for his first CCHL fight against Bryce Salvador and a two minute slash.
-"He's there to push your buttons," said Timberwolves forward, Patrick Sharp. "He makes himself known out there. Our job is to not feed into him and do our own thing.
-The second period did not lose any of the games nastiness, when Niagara's goaltender became frazzled with too many Wolves in his crease. He took liberties with these trespassers and drew a two-minute minor.
-Patrick Sharp would put his team back on top with a power play goal one minute into their advantage.
-Thunder Bay grinder, Stephane Veilleux made it 3-1, but Marco Sturm brought Niagara Falls back to within one to finish out the second period.
-Almost on que, the Thunder couldn't go two minutes into a period without being shorthanded. And just like the start of the second period, Patrick Sharp made the opposition pay with his second powerplay goal of the game.
-Once again though, Marco Sturm brought his team back to within one by completing the hattrick in front of the Thunder faithful.
-"The place just went nuts for a while," said Timberwolves goalie Josh Harding. "The ice was definitely tilted in their favour after that goal. But we showed poise and didn't get caught up in the madness."
-Thunder Bay survived and hushed the crowd when Kyle Brodziak scored his second of the game with less than four minutes to play.
-The game concluded with a 5-3 Thunder Bay victory.
-"It was a good start, but we still need alot of work," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "Our rookies were timid. Not one of them took a shot. But none of them were also a minus. So they didn't hurt us out there. Hardy played very good for us. We were outshot in every period, and he kept us in the game." Hartsburg did not say if Harding would get the next pre-season game or not. It is expected that Thunder Bay will rotate between Harding and Niittymaki throughout the season. With Finnish youngster, Karri Ramo maybe getting a couple games.
THREE STARS:
1: Marco Sturm (NIA) 3 goals off of 13 shots
2: Patrick Sharp (THU) 2 PP goals and an assist
3: Josh Harding (THU) 30 saves

ROSTER READY FOR PRE-SEASON

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)- For some CCHL teams, the annual Waiver Draft is just another bump in road while awaiting the start of the season. Rarely are there impact players available to help ones hockey club. Most are picked up to fill in roster spots for cheap.
-Due to their nine wins from last season (last place), the Thunder Bay Timberwolves chose Alberta-native, Kyle Brodziak with the first pick.
-"Brodziak gives us some much needed depth up front," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "He'll be given every opportunity to earn a full-time spot. But it will be a battle for ice time on our lower lines. We like what he brings to the table though. Still rough around the edges. We'll work with him on his skating. But he's a smart player with and without the puck and a very industrious player."
-With their second and final pick, the Wolves added Quintin Laing to the mix. The twenty-nine year old journeyman brings with him a wealth of knowledge and a sound defensive game.
-"Like Brodziak, Laing will have a strong chance of earning either a solid fourth line spot or be one of a handful of players we'll rotate game in and game out for those minutes. He (Laing) probably has the edge due to experience and a pretty good defensive game."
-Hours before the Waiver Draft, the Timberwolves made a trade with the Dayton Musicmen.
-Centre, Joe Pavelski and prospect Alex Goligoski were sent to Ohio with Thunder Bay's third round draft pick next season. In return, the Timberwolves landed prospects Aaron Palushaj, Ian Cole, Patrick Weircioch, Trevor Cann and Dayton's third round pick next season.
-"It's tough to trade away very quality hockey players and men like Joe and Alex," said Wendt. "If we were in a different position as an organization, these two quality young men would not even be considered in trades. But do to these qualities, and our position. The players we got in return are also very high quality in quantity. Which is what we had to do for the greater future of our hockey club."
-Aaron Palushaj is a sophomore forward at the University of Michigan. He currently leads all NCAA players in points (12 GP 7g 13a 20 points). He is the teammate of fellow Timberwolves prospects, Mark Mitera and Chris Summers.
-Ian Cole is a sophomore defenseman at the University of Notre Dame. He currently is third on the Irish in points (11 GP 3g 6a 9 points) and leading the way for all their blueliners. He is the teammate of fellow Timerwolves prospect, Ryan Thang.
-Patrick Weircioch is a freshman defenseman at Denver University. He currently is fifth on the Pioneers in points (10 GP 5g 5a 10 points) and their highest scoring defenseman.
-Trevor Cann was recently traded in the OHL from the Peterborough Petes to the London Knights. Since joining the Knights, Cann is a perfect 5-0 with a 1.77 GAA and a .933 save %. He also has two shutouts in those five games (and one in ten games with the Petes).
-"With all due respect to Pavelski and Goligoski, we definitely feel we got the better end in this deal," said Wendt. "Time will tell. But we are very excited to land these players."