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
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