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