With an aptitude for strong defensive play and a growing confidence in the offensive zone, Joe Piskula became the second Abbotsford Heat defenceman this season to get the call to the National Hockey League.

On Thursday, the Flames recalled Piskula, the steady blue liner who had one goal and four points in 18 games with the Heat this season.

Piskula was signed to two-way deal on July 1 after playing well enough last year with the Heat to garner a NHL contract.

According to comments made by general manager Jay Feaster this summer, the Flames were contemplating signing the product of Antigo, Wis., to a two-way deal just prior to last season's NHL trade deadline.

The move comes one day after Flames defenceman Brett Carson was reassigned to the Heat for a conditioning stint, as he recovers from an injury he sustained during off-season training.

Carson has yet to play a game for the Flames this season.

Meanwhile, Piskula will now join his old defence partner T.J. Brodie in Calgary.

Used mostly as a shutdown guy in his time with the Heat, Piskula in 2010/11 had one goal and 12 points in 71 games with Abbotsford, although he did miss a portion of games late in the season with a suspected concussion.

The Flames also announced on Thursday that tough guy Pierre-Luc Letourneau-Leblond was reassigned to the Heat.

Letourneau-Leblond, who garners the nickname PL3, had no points and 10 penalty minutes in three games with Calgary.

Picked up in a trade with the New Jersey Devils on July 14, Letourneau-Leblond had 334 penalty minutes in 64 games last season with the AHL's Albany Devils.

The Heat are coming off an 8-3 road loss to the Milwaukee Admirals on Tuesday, and have now lost three straight by a combined score of 16-4.

Abbotsford's next game is Friday (5:30 p.m. PST) against the Chicago Wolves, AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks.

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