STREAK ENDS IN CUBA

The Humidor (Havana)-
--The four-game winning streak for the Thunder Bay Timberwolves came to an end after a 2-1 loss to the Havana Moon on Friday night.
--Patrick Sharp opened the scoring in the first for his team leading sixteenth goal of the season. Sharp took his own blocked shot from Havana's Marc Staal and broke away alone, beating Martin Biron with a sniper's goal over the tenders glove under the crossbar at 00:32.
--Thunder Bay went onto outshooting Havana 13-5 in the first, but were unable to capitalize again after Sharp's tally.
--The second period was a complete 180 of sorts. The Moon shutdown the Timberwolves and outshot the visitors 14-4 in the middle period. Michal Nylander would capitalize for Castro's club at 16:42. Tying things up at 1-1 going into the second intermission.
--"We didn't go into the second with the same intensity we carried throughout the third," said Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard. "I think the effort was their for us. But credit Havana for turning their game around and taking it to us. The second period was theirs to take, and without Nitty (Antero Niittymaki) standing on his head for us, we wouldn't stand a chance."
--The third period saw both clubs figuring each other out and playing more evenly. But at 10:52, Trevor Daley netted his first of the season from Eric Staal and Alex Ovechkin. The Timberwolves tried, but could not come back and lost to Havana 2-1.
--"A loss is a loss and it doesn't help you in the standings," said a matter-of-fact Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "But if you look at the entire game and not just the score, we matched up well with them. Special teams weren't a factor. Shots were pretty close, and as was total time of possession. Both goalies were good when they had to be. For our players, they all did what they needed to do and weren't caught out of position very often. Mistakes were made obviously, but the game-winner on Niittymaki was a flukey shot that hit alot of bodies and was just a lucky goal. We'll take the good things from this game and build on them, and take a look at our mistakes and try to work on them and limit them in the future."
--The Timberwolves left immidiately after their game with the Moon back to Thunder Bay for some rare home cooking in the middle of a long road trip. They have the next two days off before their next game on Monday in Quebec.
--"It'll be good for everyone to go home for a couple days and relax and be with friends and family," said GM Blake Wendt. "I think this time away from the rink will be a benefit." The Timberwolves players knew they had Saturday off. Mostly due to travel from Havana to Thunder Bay. But it wasn't until they got on the plane home that they found out that they had Sunday off also.

3 STARS (THU/HAV)...
*Trevor Daley (HAV) - Game-winning goal and assist
**Alex Ovechkin (HAV) - 2 assists
***Martin Biron (HAV) - 25 saves and 1 goal against in win