VANCOUVER - The Abbotsford Heat and the University of British Columbia will play an exhibition game on September 30 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, beginning at 7:00 pm.

"The Heat are looking forward to playing the Thunderbirds as we prepare for our upcoming season," said Heat Director of Communications and Broadcast, Dave Sheldon. "As this will be our last opportunity for our team to be in a game situation before the regular season begins, this match versus the T-Birds will give our team a worthy opponent and we look forward to having a highly competitive game."

UBC head coach Milan Dragicevic looks forward to the challenge. "This game will force us to evaluate ourselves against probably the most talented team we will play all year. UBC students and hockey fans alike are going to be treated to a really great game."

The Heat begin their inaugural season as the AHL affiliate of the Calgary Flames after moving from Moline, Illinois where they were known as the Quad City Flames. The Heat's roster includes former NHLers Anders Eriksson and Brad Brown, and is sure to include many of the Flames biggest prospects including 2006 first-round selection, Leland Irving.

Dragicevic views this game as a chance for his T-Birds to step up their preparation as they ready for their own season.

"We want to make sure we are detailed in our systems. This will be a good test to see if we are on the same page with what we are trying to do this year," said Dragicevic, who begins his eighth season behind the UBC bench. "Physically and mentally we are going to have to prepare to play against these guys and we are going to have to approach this game like professionals."

The T-Birds open their pre-season schedule on September 19 at home against the NAIT Ooks. After their tilt with the Heat, UBC travels south for the second consecutive year to battle NCAA Division I competition.

On October 3, the T-Birds face-off against the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs before facing the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers the following day.

UBC opens their Canada West regular season on the road in Regina the weekend of October 9. Their first regular season home game is the following weekend against Manitoba on October 16 at 7:30 p.m.