RALEIGH, NC—The Carolina Hurricanes, in conjunction with AAA, today announced special fan travel packages for the 2010 Compuware/NHL Premiere™ in Helsinki, Finland. The Hurricanes will take on the Minnesota Wild at Hartwall Arena in Helsinki, Finland, on Thursday, Oct. 7 and Friday, Oct. 8. A limited number of packages are available, so fans are encouraged to act quickly to take advantage of the offer.

The travel package has a total cost of $2,194 per person, plus the cost of game tickets. Ihe trip departs from Raleigh on Monday, Oct. 4 and returns on Saturday, Oct. 9.  It includes:

• Roundtrip airfare from Raleigh-Durham to Helsinki, Finland
• Roundtrip airport to hotel transfers
• Four nights accommodations in a double-occupancy room at the Radisson Blu Plaza in Helsinki
• Transportation to see the Carolina Hurricanes team practice
• Exclusive VIP lunch with the team
• Roundtrip transportation to both games from hotel to Hartwall Arena
• Half-day sightseeing tour of Helsinki
• Special NHL souvenir
• AAA escort

There is also a land-only option for fans who purchase air travel separately. The total cost is $1,052 per person, plus the cost of game tickets, and the package includes all of the above except the roundtrip airfare and the roundtrip airport transfers.

There are two price levels for the game tickets: $300 for upper-level seats for both games or $600 for lower-level club seats for both games. Please note that there is limited availability for the upper-level seating, and that tickets are non-refundable once purchased.

In order to reserve space, fans must place deposits of $500 per person plus game-ticket cost. Deposits are non-refundable after June 1, and the final total is due July 28 and is non-refundable. For reservations and additional information, please contact AAA Travel via one of the following methods:

• Phone: (919) 832-0543 Ext. 16016 – Mary Ann Ellerbe or Ext. 16012 – Cecilia Bunting
• Email: CarolinaHurricanes@mailaaa.com
• Mail: AAA Group Travel – 2301 Blue Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607
• Fax: AAA Ground Travel – (919) 832-8847

The games mark the fourth consecutive season that the NHL has started its season with games contested overseas, and the first time the Hurricanes franchise has ever played regular-season games outside of North America. The Hurricanes’ current roster features three players from Finland, including 2010 Olympians Joni Pitkanen and Tuomo Ruutu and leading goal-scorer Jussi Jokinen. The Wild also boast three players from the country: captain Mikko Koivu, goaltender Niklas Backstrom and right wing Antti Miettinen. There are 32 Finnish-born players currently playing in the National Hockey League.

This marks the second consecutive year Hartwall Arena has hosted NHL teams to start the season, as the Chicago Blackhawks and Florida Panthers played there on Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, 2009, as part of the 2009 Compuware/NHL Premiere series. Opened in 1997 in time to host the 1997 IIHF World Championships, Hartwall Arena is home to Jokerit of the Finnish League and has a capacity of 13,464 for hockey. For more information on Hartwall Arena, please visit http://www.hartwall-areena.com/en/.