Tara-Jean to Drop Puck Tonight..Sbisa Set To Go

Lethbridge, AB – The Lethbridge Hurricanes will look forward to some big returns this weekend, none bigger then the return of NHL Defenseman Luca Sbisa who was reassigned to the team from Anaheim this past week. In 80 WHL regular season games with the Canes he scored 48 points (10G, 38A) and had a +15 plus/minus rating and 82 PIMs. He also proved himself as a playoff performer In 30 WHL Playoff games he scored 18 points (5G, 13A) a +8 plus/minus and 29 PIMs, leading all WHL d-men in scoring in the 08 playoffs. He was one of two CHL Import Draft picks the Hurricanes made in 2007, the first was Finnish goaltender Juha Metsola. Sbisa went from being relatively unknown to being ranked in the Top 20 of North American Players by Central Scouting for the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Sbisa has also represented his home country of Switzerland in the 2008 IIHF U-20 World Junior Hockey Championships and was a member of Team Red at the 2008 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects game. He was the recipient of the 2007-2008 Carl Trentini Memorial Award for the Hurricanes rookie of the year and was selected in the first round (19th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. Sbisa signed an entry level NHL contract that fall and began the season as a member of the Flyers where he played 39 NHL games before being returned to the Canes in early February and joining the Ducks during this past off season.

Seattle becomes the second of the five U.S. Division teams to visit the ENMAX Centre tonight. The T-Birds were victorious in these team’s only meeting of the 08-09 season with a 7-4 win from the ShoWare Center in Kent, Washington. Seattle will be led by goaltending standout Calvin Pickard, (The younger brother of Chet Pickard) who posted a 23-16-1-4 record with three shutouts last season as a rookie. The last time these teams met at the ENMAX Centre was in November of ’07 as the Canes dealt the T-Birds a 3-2 loss, outshooting Seattle 39-18 as another Seattle goaltender, Riku Helenius had 36 saves in the loss to fellow countryman Juha Metsola.

This game will also highlight another very special return as Southern Alberta’s own Tara Jean Popowich, the champion of “So you think you can dance Canada” will be in attendance and dropping the puck for the ceremonial face off!

On Saturday, The ghosts, goblins and ghouls will be out in full force as the Canes look to do away with the 2010 Memorial Cup Host Brandon Wheat Kings. The Wheaties are gearing up for the Memorial Cup and will return a solid and experienced lineup this season. Don’t miss what could be a preview of the team to beat this year in the Eastern Conference! There will be great prizes for both adults and kids in costume and all youngsters 12 and under in costume will receive free Halloween Treats!

Courtesy of Ryan Ohashi, Hurricanes Communications Director