SOMETHING’S UP WITH THIS MOVE

WHALE RELEASE FRANCIS LEMIEUX, ALEXANDRE IMBEAULT FROM PTOs

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Will Return to Florida of ECHL

HARTFORD, CT: Connecticut Whale general manager Jim Schoenfeld announced today that the team has released forwards Francis Lemieux and Alexandre Imbeault from their Professional Tryout (PTO) agreements.  Lemieux and Imbeault will re-join the Florida Everblades of the ECHL.

Each played one game with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL on Sunday. They both had an assist in the 4-3 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays

Lemieux, signed February 20 by the Whale, was scoreless with two penalty minutes and nine shots on goal in three games in a Whale uniform.  Imbeault, who inked his PTO February 21, also went without a point in three Whale games and had four shots on goal.

Prior to joining the Whale, Lemieux was leading the ECHL in points with 28-44-72 in 55 games with the Everblades, and Imbeault was the top goal-scorer in the league, with 31-15-46 in 43 Everblade games.

The Whale’s next action is this Wednesday, March 2, as they return to the XL Center to host the Springfield Falcons in a 7:00 PM game.  There will be a “Whale Bowl Appreciation Night” promotion for that game, as Whale Bowl ticket purchasers who present their Whale Bowl ticket stub at the XL Center ticket office can purchase one $19 or $12 ticket for the March 2 game, and receive a second of equal or lesser value free.  On top of that, the Whale will add a coupon for 15% off all Whale Bowl merchandise.  The coupon is redeemable at the Whale Pro Shop, which is located in the Hartford Store at 45 Pratt St. in downtown Hartford and is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4:30 PM.  The coupon is good only for Whale Bowl merchandise.

Tickets for all 2010-11 Whale home games are available now at the XL Center box office, through Ticketmaster Charge-by-Phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at ctwhale.com. Tickets start at $7 each at the XL Center ticket office on game day.

For information on Whale ticket packages, group sales and VIP packages, call (860) 728-3366.

The AHL’s CT Whale is operated by Whalers Sports and Entertainment, a Hartford-based sports marketing and event firm founded by Howard Baldwin.  The team is the top player-development affiliate of the NHL’s New York Rangers.