Hurricanes Hosting Red Deer

The Lethbridge Hurricanes will try and put the breaks to a four game losing skid tonight when they play host to the Red Deer Rebels.

The Hurricanes are coming off a 5-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades last Saturday night. Hurricanes Head Coach and GM Rich Preston was ejected near the end of that game after having a disagreement or two with the officials. He was given a $500 fine by the Western Hockey League. The Canes' will attempt to put that behind them and turn their focus to a very good Red Deer hockey club.

The Hurricanes played their last game with a depleted group of forwards as Berglund, Braes, Sutter, and Hood all sat with injuries, leaving the Canes' with 11 forwards against Saskatoon and two rookie Centres, those being Michael Sofillas and Russ Maxwell. We won't know until game time which of those four players, if any will be able to go tonight.

The Rebels are having a very good start to the season and are battling Saskatoon and Kootenay for first place in the Eastern Conference. Red Deer is lead by Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who is expected to be selected very high in the next NHL entry draft. Byron Froese is second in team scoring next to Nugent-Hopkins. He was acquired in an off-season trade with Everett. Red Deer comes into Lethbridge having blanked the Kootenay ICE 5-0 last night. The Rebels have a couple of southern Alberta boys on their roster too. Coaldale's Adam Kambeitz is having a very good year for Red Deer and sits in the top five in team scoring while rookie Brad Deagle who is from Lethbridge is still looking for his first WHL goal, but has four assists.

The Hurricanes will hit the road Friday to Swift Current. The Broncos will make the return trip to Lethbridge on Saturday. Also, for those wondering how much money the Hurricanes raised for the fight against breast cancer during their Pink in the Rink weekend, Business Manager Jim Bradley told Fred and I on Hurricanes This Week on Monday that the organization brought in about $8000 which will go to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Thanks to all who chipped in for a very great cause!

Game time tonight from the ENMAX Centre is 7:00 pm (MST). The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.

Thanks,

Pat

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