Weekes scheduled to have surgery on Friday

RALEIGH, N.C. – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, announced today that the team has recalled goaltender Arturs Irbe from Lowell of the American Hockey League. Netminder Kevin Weekes is scheduled to undergo surgery on his hand this Friday and will miss the remainder of the season.

Irbe (5’ 8’’, 190 lbs.) is 7-20-2 with a goals-against average of 3.17 and a save percentage of .880 in 30 games with Carolina this season. The franchise’s all-time leader in games played, wins and shutouts, Irbe is 125-116-43 with a goals-against average of 2.49 and 20 shutouts in 295 career games with Carolina. In 554 career games in the NHL with San Jose, Dallas, Vancouver and the Hurricanes, Irbe is 213-230-78 with a goals-against average of 2.83. He ranks second in NHL history among European-born goaltenders in wins behind Dominik Hasek (288). Irbe is 3-3-1 with a 2.91 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage in seven games with Lowell this season.

The Hurricanes travel to Montreal to take on the Canadiens on Saturday night (7 p.m., Fox Sports Net). Carolina’s next home game is against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Tuesday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the RBC Center. Tickets for that game and all Hurricanes games are available via the team’s official website, CarolinaHurricanes.com, the Dodge Box Office at RBC Center or by calling 919-834-4000.