WINNIPEG, March 20 /CNW/ - Former NHL star Curtis Leschyshyn spent three hours today with Winnipeg's own St. Norbert Storm minor girls' hockey team as part of the Scotiabank NHL Alumni Skills Contest - offering professional coaching and skills training to 10 winning teams across Canada. On-ice, Leschyshyn worked with the youth on their defensive, offensive and puck-handling skills; while off-ice he spent time addressing the importance of teamwork, dedication and highlights of his journey to the NHL.

"This is a great opportunity for young hockey hopefuls to learn about the experiences they can have by setting goals and following their dreams," said Leschyshyn. "The Storm players know that to give themselves the best possible chance of playing to their full potential, they must prepare for anything, which means practice, discipline and commitment. Those are lessons they can take with them everywhere they go."

The St. Norbert Storm are one of 10 teams who won on-ice training with former NHL stars under the Scotiabank NHL Alumni Skills Contest. Each team will have a chance to meet and work with one member of the NHL Alumni.

"Scotiabank's hockey programs provide exciting experiences like this one for hockey lovers in our community," said Deborah Bilous, Branch Manager, Winnipeg Scotiabank branch. "As Canada's hockey bank, we know that hockey is important to many of our employees and customers who either watch or play the game or have kids enrolled in the sport. Supporting these efforts with unique contests creates unique experiences for everyone who loves the game."

"This was a truly awesome experience for us to win Scotiabank's contest and meet Curtis Leschyshyn," said Jelena Howorth, treasurer for the Storm. "This is such a great opportunity for the girls. Mr. Leschyshyn has a great deal of hockey wisdom to share with our team and he brings with him a sense of fair play both on and off the ice in the community. These are qualities that we try to instill in the team and I know this will be an experience they never forget."

Teams qualified for the Scotiabank NHL Alumni Skills contest through the broader Scotiabank Community Hockey Sponsorship program where Scotiabank's Canadian retail branches were given $1000 to sponsor one or more minor boys or girls hockey team in their region. A total of 266 minor hockey teams and 8 leagues in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba received funding. In addition to funding, each team in the program receives exclusive Scotiabank Hockey Club Team Kits which include jersey crests, player booklets, mini first aid kits from Pro Hockey Life, the NHL DVD Just like me - The legends, and exclusive entry to experiential contests, like the NHL Alumni Skills contest. For more information, please visit www.scotiahockeyclub.com.

Scotiabank has a long tradition of supporting hockey in Canada from local teams and minor hockey associations to professional players and leagues. Through its partnerships, Scotiabank's hockey programs enrich the communities where Canadians live and work by engaging fans and players in new ways to celebrate our game. Scotiabank supports the passion and pride Canadians feel for the game and believes it is fundamental to helping young people learn about teamwork camaraderie and the spirit of competition. Scotiabank is the Official Bank of the NHL, NHLPA, NHL Alumni and CWHL, and has partnerships with the Calgary Flames and the Ottawa Senators whose home arena is Scotiabank Place. Most recently, Scotiabank and Pro Hockey Life teamed up to provide exclusive in-store and online discounts to Scotiabank customers, promote advice on equipment and enhance the grassroots community programs of both companies. For more information on Scotiabank's hockey programs visit www.scotiahockeyclub.com

Scotiabank is committed to supporting the communities in which we live and work, both in Canada and abroad. Recognized as a leader internationally and among Canadian corporations for its charitable donations and philanthropic activities, in 2009 the Bank provided about $39 million in sponsorships and donations to a variety of projects and initiatives, primarily in the areas of healthcare, education, social services and arts and culture. Visit us at www.scotiabank.com.

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