Canes' Lose 4-3 to Seattle...Brandon Visits Tonight

Happy Halloween!

It was certainly not the start the Hurricanes were hoping for. After allowing a goal just 20 seconds into the first period, starting goaltender Linden Rowat pulled himself from the game and left the ice limping. He was helped to the Canes' dressing room and did not return. Rowat was replaced by Brandon Anderson, who was the back-up, sitting in for Ville Kolppanen who has missed the Hurricanes passed two games because of a concussion. It was Anderson's first action in the WHL this season. Rowat was being evaluated by a doctor, but his status isn't known. Early indication though is that his injury isn't too bad.

Seattle took a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes and then in the second, the T-Birds scored twice on the power play, going up 4-1. The Hurricanes didn't seem to have the jump I thought they would early on last night, especially against a Thunderbirds team missing 6 regular players with the flu. Seattle really played a good road game. Give them credit for that. The Hurricanes had some bad breaks too. The Canes' hit three goal posts in the 2nd period alone which really didn't help their cause last night and the two power play goals by the Thunderbirds in the 2nd were good bounces around net. Those are the breaks. Carter Bancks, Craig Orfino, and Mitch Maxwell scored for Lethbridge. Luca Sbisa played fairly well in his debut back with the Canes'. He played in pretty much every situation.

Tonight the Canes' will host the Brandon Wheat Kings in a Halloween night match-up at the Enmax Centre. Lethbridge beat the Wheaties 2-1 a few weeks ago in Brandon. The Wheat Kings come into town after being on the road for the past 13 days. The Wheaties dropped a 2-1 decision last night to the Kootenay Ice in Cranbrook. Game time is 7 o'clock. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30. The Hurricanes are giving away prizes for both adults and kids dressed up in Halloween costumes.

Sbisa Speaks With Lethbridge Media

The Lethbridge sports media met with Luca Sbisa at the game day skate. Sbisa was asked about being back in the WHL. "I really have mixed feelings. My goal was this year to play in the NHL full-time, so I'm obviously really, really disappointed I didn't reach my goal, but on the other hand it's good to come back to junior. It's a really good league." Sbisa was also asked about rumours that his agent wanted a trade to a different WHL team before he arrived in Lethbridge. Sbisa really didn't say much about that. He did respond with this: "There's nothing I can do. I can't force the coach to still let me play in the NHL for this year so, I accept what happened and now I have to take the next step and that is being here in Lethbridge and help out the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

Thanks,

Pat