TIMBERWOLVES ACQUIRE UPSHALL

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)-

-On Tuesday afternoon, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves announced a trade with the Linz Black Wings.

-Thunder Bay acquired winger, Scottie Upshall for forward, Dean McAmmond and rookie defenseman, Nicklas Grossman.

-"We are thrilled to bring in a player like Scottie Upshall to our hockey club," said Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "He has loads of skill and natural talent that he brings with him on every shift. There is no quit in this guy and he backs down from no one. Exactly the mold of player we want this entire hockey club to be. Scottie should fit in nicely with the group of young players we have now. Many of which play a similar game.

-The twenty-five year old, Ft. McMurray native will be in the lineup for the Timberwolves on Wednesday night in Quebec against the Remparts. He will wear #7.

PERRON NETS 3 IN SHUTOUT OF EXPRESS

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)-

-After going winless in nine games, the Thunder Bay Timberwolves returned home on Monday night after thumping their divisional-rival in Niagara Falls and winning their second game in a row on Sunday afternoon.

-The Timberwolves welcomed the Long Island Express to a raucous full house that was eager to see their hometown boys continue their ways of winning.

-"It was insane out there," said Timberwolves forward, Dean McAmmond. "For a Monday night game it was great to get that kind of support from our fans. None of the guys wanted to disappoint them."

-The first period showcased two teams trying to figure each other out. At 16:46 the Express took the first penalty of the game off a Craig Conroy high stick. Thunder Bay's David Perron (pictured) answered less than thirty seconds later with a power play tally from fellow rookie Erik Johnson and Patrick Sharp.

-Dan Hinote would mug the Express defense of the puck and take a breakaway in on Frederik Norrena to put the Timberwolves up 2-0 to close out the first.

-"From this mornings skate to the banter in the dressing room, we were all about playing a complete game tonight," said Perron. "Add to that a packed building and the chanting. It was a very playoff-like atmosphere from the drop of the puck."

-Almost missed in the celebration of Hinote's goal and the announcement of that goal was a minor penalty on Long Island's Ryan Callahan that would rollover in the next period.

-With a clean sheet of ice, it took Alexander Edler fifty-three seconds to put the Timberwolves up 3-0 off another power play goal.

-"I think the wind was out of their sails at that point," said captain, Keith Ballard. "We had more room than we have had in any game this season."

-A little bit of space was all the young Timberwolves needed to showoff the talent this club had yet to show the league.

-As frustration started to show from the visiting team, Thunder Bay remained disiplined and never once went into the penalty box with an Express player in retaliation.

-At 9:19 in the second, Craig Conroy took his second minor penalty of the evening after some face-washing and jabs after the whistle. A minute and some change later, David Perron once again punished Conroy and his mates with his second power play goal and fourth of the game for the Timberwolves.

-After being on the other end penalties and watching his team give up goals while he sat in the box, Perron is learning that to play in this league and for this club under Craig Hartsburg, everyone plays with disipline on both ends of the ice.

-"I think maybe I wasn't focusing enough on playing good defense when we didn't have the puck," said Perron. "I would get caught out of position and take bad penalties that cost us leads and games. I spent sometime on the fourth line for some games and got a different perspective what I needed to do to be a complete player."

-In the third period, Thunder Bay took advantage of another minor penalty against Long Island. Perron scored his third goal with the man-advantage to put his club up 5-0.

-Matt Moulson made it 6-0 a minute later. This time, and for only the second time in the game, even strengthed.

-With the game and a win in the bag, the only thing left was to stay disiplined and of course do everything humanly possible to get Josh Harding his second shutout of the season.

-Mike Comrie slammed the door on any chance of his Express ruining Harding's goose egg bid when he took another penalty with less than ninety seconds remaining.

-Final score was 6-0

-Next game is Wednesday in Quebec against the Blues Conference's first place Remparts.

-3 STARS of the Game...

* David Perron (THU) - 3 power play goals & an assist

** Josh Harding (THU) - Zero goals against off 26 shots for his 2nd shutout in 3 games

*** Patrick Sharp (THU) - 4 assists

WOLVES WIN AFTER GIVING UP 5

ThunderDome (Niagara Falls, ON)-
-The taste of winning is again in the mouths of the young Timberwolves from Thunder Bay.
-After winning their tenth game of the season (they only won nine all of last season), and their first shutout on Friday against Wisborg, they headed east to Niagara Falls to take on the Thunder on Sunday afternoon in a Canadian Eastern Division match-up.
-"Everyone outside of this dressing room is making a big deal out of winning that tenth game," said Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard. "Obviously it means we're a better team than last season. One of our goals was to be a better team, but we're not excited about just winning ten games."
-The Timberwolves opened the scoring against the Thunder, and would score four total in the first period. But Niagara Falls took a big chunk out of that lead by scoring three of their own to finish out the opening period.
-"That period pretty much summed up our season," said Timberwolves head coach, Craig Hartsburg. "We have flashes of the damage we can inflict on the scoreboard. Then we either get complacent or we can't tighten up our game when the opponent is pressing hard."
-The Thunder would eventually tie the game at the 9:46 in the second off a Jason Williams goal. Torrey Mitchell would take the lead back for the Timberwolves two minutes later with Thunder Bay's second power play goal of the game.
-Niagara Falls tied the game again off the stick of Mike Ribeiro for his fourteenth of the season. But Thunder Bay vowed not to lose the momentum going into the third.
-"The bench was pretty vocal after Ribero's goal," said Patrick Sharp. "We've been through too many games like this this season where we can't hold a lead. Every other game we lost the momentum. Niagara was shooting every chance they had, and Harding (pictured) was giving us a chance to counter."
-Counter they did in the closing minute of the second. Jason Williams blatenly high-sticked Jarkko Ruutu and the Timberwolves took advantage with a power play blast from Alexander Edler.
-"Eddie's (Edler) goal was just what we needed," said Ballard. "More than the lead, we needed that boost and energy to shut them down in the third."
-Both teams would go scoreless for nineteen minutes and fifty-nine seconds of the third period. Torrey Mitchell iced the game with less than a second remaining for his second goal of the game.
-"We played well as a team today," said Hartburg. "We can only get better after games like this."
-The high-stick that Jarkko Ruutu recieved prior to Edler's game winning goal caused more damage to the yappy Finn then initially thought. Ruutu will be out at least ten days with an "upper body injury". He flew back to Thunder Bay with the team and will be evaluated further on Monday.
-Next game is Monday night against the Long Island Express at Canadian National Gardens.
3 STARS...
* Torrey Mitchell (THU) - 2 goals & assist
** Alexander Edler (THU) - Game-winning goal
*** Jason Williams (NIA) - 2 goals & 2 assists

PROSPECT WATCH: CHRIS SUMMERS

CHRIS SUMMERS - D (Captain)
University of Michigan Wolverines (CCHA)
Acquired: December 16, 2007 from Stockholm (now Reykjavik)
Height: 6' 2"
Weight: 185 lbs
Birthdate: February 25, 1988 (20 years old)
Hometown: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Next Year: Unknown

Chris Summers has spent nearly his entire hockey career in the State of Michigan. The junior defenseman for the 6th-ranked Wolverines went through the USA Hockey Developmental Program in Ann Arbor for five years prior to his arrival in... errr, Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan.

"Chris is someone we coveted when we first seen him as a under-17 for the US National Team," said Timberwolves GM Blake Wendt. "The first thing you notice is the smoothness of his skating. He glides out there. That with his puck handling combined with the natural ability to think the game the way he does makes him a threat to the opposition whenever he's on the ice."

Summers was named captain of the Wolverines after Mark Mitera went down with a season ending knee injury in Michigan's first game of the season. Mitera is a senior and was Summers' defensive partner for the better part of the last two seasons. He's also a Timberwolves prospect.

"We obviously have an interest in the health of Mitera," said Wendt. "He seems to be healing well and his rehab is where it should be. Mark's a tough customer and fierce competitor, so I can't imagine his disgust in missing his last year of college hockey after the great run they had last season. But we fully expect him to come to our camps this summer and take that attitude and loss of an entire season of hockey and work his butt off to earn a spot on our roster. We'll also see where Chris (Summers) is and maybe these guys can get that chemistry back and be a very solid pairing for us for years to come. But that decision will be Chris' whether or not he wants to return to Michigan for his senior season. If he blows us away in camp then we'll go from there. But right now I see no reason why he'd need to be rushed. Plus another year under Red Berenson (Michigan's head coach) is never a bad thing."

Next Prospect Watch... Trevor Cann

STRUGGLES CONTINUE FOR T-BAY

Canadian National Gardens (Thunder Bay)-
-To say that the Thunder Bay Timberwolves are having issues, may be putting it mildly. This isn't the same horrid team from last season. There's not the bickering and finger pointing oozing out of the dressing room and into the media. There's not a lineup filled with goons out to take out the opponents stars regardless of a win or not.
-This club is vastly different. But yet the same when it's the end of the night and another check in the loss column. Spirits are high amongst the players. But you can see in the eyes of the handful of players from last years 9-win season, that they don't want to repeat that dismal chapter in their short hockey lives.
-"From an overall perspective in this clubs progression, I definitely see we're moving in the right direction," said Owner/GM Blake Wendt. "We're a young squad. That's not an excuse to lose. But it is something one must take into account. We're playing alot closer and tighter in games. Instead of 10-2 or 9-0 losses, we're losing 5-3 or 3-2 games. Now a loss is a loss, but where we are with the development of so many young men playing regularly for us, these one-goal losses help us in the long run more than getting blown out in games and guys not caring for 1-to-2 thirds of a game. One goal games mean we're fighting to win for sixty minutes."
-The youth of the Timberwolves was on display last night at CN Gardens against the Niagara Falls Thunder. The good and the bad of having a youth-laden roster.
-Patrick Sharp opened the scoring off the opening faceoff. Taking a feed from Tom Preissing and beating Nikolai Khabibulin five-hole at the 00:06 mark of the game. His twenty sixth of the season.
-David Perron doubled the lead for the TImberwolves at 08:40. Stickhandling his way through four Niagara players and roofing a shot on Khabibulin.
-Kris Draper would cut the lead in half in the second period. But Thunder Bay would go into the third with the lead. A lead that would evaporate quickly after a "lazy penalty" from Sergei Kostitsyn as stated by the Timberwolves head coach after the game.
-With Kostitsyn still in the penalty box, David Perron used his stick for things other than putting the puck in the net. A hook as a result of losing his man in the neutral zone. Two Timberwolves players in the box. Two young players having taken two unwarranted penalties within fifteen seconds of each other.
-Niagara's Joe Corvo would score six seconds after Perron's penalty. Tying the score and clearly putting the momentum on the Thunder's side.
-Marco Sturm scored the game-winner for Niagara twenty-two seconds after Corvo.
-Both clubs would add a goal each to the final score. With the red-hot Thunder winning 4-3.
-"This game was ours to lose, and we did just that," said head coach Craig Hartsburg. "We scored first and we scored quick. That was what we went over before the game. We had to get ahead first and fast. We had the lead going into the third, and lost it within the first minute because of lazy, stupid penalties. Our penalty killing isn't getting the job done, so why put more pressure on it? We have alot of work to do. I'd say we should go back to basics, but we haven't really gone beyond that anyway."
-The Timberwolves are hoping to stop their 10-game winless slide tonight against the league-worst Southwest Scorpions at CN Gardens.

SHANNY MOVED; WINLESS STREAK CONT.

The Goat Barn (Bismark, North Dakota)-
-A once promising season for the Thunder Bay Timberwolves is now looking like what many expected--bleak.
-After knocking out a four-game win streak, the Timberwolves have gone 0-4-1 since. Including a 5-3 loss last night in Denver to the Spurs.
-One player that was acquired for nothing other than taking his salary was dealt prior to the contest in the Mile High City.
-Brendan Shanahan was picked up on Decemeber 12th from the North Dakota Ibex with three draft picks for nothing more than for Thunder Bay to assume the veteran wingers hefty three-year salary at $4.5M/per. It was a hit to the thinly lined pocket book of the Timberwolves and drew some criticism throughout the league since there was no first round pick in taking on roughly $13 million for a player that wasn't expected to finish out the contract.
-"I'd be lying if I said that Shanahan was someone we were relying on to turn this club around," said a blunt Timberwolves GM, Blake Wendt. "His contract is horrible and if it weren't for the picks included and us not giving up any of our roster players or prospects or anyone for that matter. We wouldn't have acquired him. He was shopped around almost immediately after we got him. We were confident that Brendan was coveted by someone."
-Coveted Mr. Shanahan was... by the Scorpions of the Southwest. He was dealt with forward prospect Scott Parse and $4.5 million in cash for right-winger Dan Hinote and Southwest's fourth and fifth round draft picks. If Shanahan decides to retire over the summer from the CCHL, Thunder Bay will pay an additional $4.5 million in cash to the Scorpions.
-"In the long run, we got what we wanted out of this deal," said Wendt. "We've moved a player with a long, heavy contract and right now are only out four and a half million. It may look steep if we end up forking out nine million total, but in the end we still got five picks out of all of this if you include the original deal with the Ibex. Plus a gritty winger to help shore up our lower lines in Danny Hinote who is unrestricted anyway. I think in another deep draft like this one, the more picks a team has, the better." Thunder Bay now has thirteen.
-Despite being three games under .500, there are some bright spots for the Timberwolves. Patrick Sharp (pictured) is quite possibly the best valued player in the CCHL. He makes $605,000 a year and is Top-10 in scoring, second in goals (23), first in power play goals (10) and Top-10 in even strength goals. Given that the Thunder Bay native still has two years left on his contract, and that he can be re-signed again for he turns 30, the Timberwolves can lock up Sharp for the next five years at a very low price if he continues to produce at this pace.
-"Sharpie is definately a guy we can and will build around," said Wendt. "I think we already have pretty good linemates with him (David Perron and Sergei Kostitsyn) and they will only get better."
-The Timberwolves are in Bismarck, North Dakota tonight to take on the Ibex. Then make the gruling trek over half of North America and the Atlantic to play in Karlstad, Sweden tomorrow night.
-"These trips suck," said a matter-of-fact Timberwolves captain, Keith Ballard. "There's no sugar coating reality. It's ridiculas that there's not a travel day between these games. We'd gladly give up one of our three days off in the middle of homestand to get a travel day for trips like this. We're not going to make excuses, but anyone that says they enjoy these trips is lying through their teeth. The Killers can expect a tired, but pissed off opponent on Friday night."