Estephan, Skinner and Nagel welcomed back

For Giorgio Estephan, it was a bizarre moment.

After all, it’s not like the veteran forward hadn’t walked into the Enmax Centre before.

But for the first time Friday night, the former captain of the Lethbridge Hurricanes did so as a member of the visiting team.

Less than a month removed from a trade deadline deal between the Hurricanes and the Swift Current Broncos that sent Estephan, goaltender Stuart Skinner and forward Tanner Nagel east, the trio made their return to the Enmax Centre.

“It’s definitely weird,” said Estephan, the Hurricanes fourth overall pick in the 2012 Western Hockey League bantam draft who went on to play 297 games over the past five seasons in Lethbridge. “Walking in the opposite way and being on the opposite bench. Someone put it best before, I was kind of star struck a little bit and weird. It maybe took me a little bit longer than I was hoping to settle in. But it was definitely nice to be back.” The 4,893 fans in attendance agreed. Following a loud round of applause when the three skated out pre-game, the former Hurricanes were honoured with a video tribute on the scoreboard chock full of highlights from their Lethbridge days.

“It was super-special,” said Estephan, who turned 21 on Saturday. “I’ve been playing in this rink for the last five years and for them to do that for me was pretty special and I’m grateful.”

On Friday night, Estephan did something he did 119 times in a Hurricanes jersey, scoring a goal