By Sorena Dadgar
February 8, 2023 (updated)
Credit: NHL / Infinite Scale Design Group / Populous
The long-awaited Carolina Hurricanes NHL Stadium Series game is upon us. The Hurricanes’ first outdoor NHL game on Saturday, February 18 at Carter-Finley Stadium was initially announced on February 15, 2020 and originally scheduled for February 20, 2021, but was postponed due to the pandemic. It will be the 13th NHL Stadium Series game and the 37th NHL regular-season outdoor game in the league’s history.
The postponement, which seemed grim at first, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The Hurricanes will now play right in the middle of the team’s 25th season, and they are pulling out all the stops for the weekend. From concerts to street hockey to food trucks and even photo ops with the coveted Stanley Cup, here’s your complete guide to the NHL Stadium Series weekend in Raleigh.
Thursday, February 16 – Hall of Fame Night
The weekend kicks off with the Hurricanes’ first Hall of Fame Night. The team announced the establishment of their Hall of Fame in October, with a select few making the inaugural class, including head coach and former captain Rod Brind’Amour, former captain and general manager Ron Francis and former defenseman Glen Wesley. All three have already had their numbers retired in PNC Arena. The induction committee includes several Hurricanes stakeholders, including owner Tom Dundon, president Don Waddell, TV personalities Mike Maniscalco and Tripp Tracy, and founding season ticket member Cathy Rudisill.
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Shortly after the announcement of the Hall of Fame, former goaltender Cam Ward was named as a member of the inaugural class. During his 2005-2006 rookie season, Ward took over as starting goalie during the playoffs, and helped the team win their first Stanley Cup. Ward recorded 668 regular season and 41 playoff games with the Hurricanes over 13 seasons and he holds the franchise’s only goal scored by a goaltender.
The #Canes will give away mini banners on Feb. 16 as part of Hall of Fame Night!
The team will honor Cam Ward, who became the first player elected into the Hurricanes Hall of Fame.
Tickets » https://t.co/GeU8z5eWia pic.twitter.com/PXHJUWgBfP
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 5, 2023
The Hall of Fame game will take place Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens. The first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a mini Cam Ward banner that matches the one being raised in the rafters. Ward’s No. 30 will be the fourth number retired by the Hurricanes. Fans are asked to be in their seats for the ceremony at 6:30 p.m. before the 7:00 p.m. puck drop.
Friday, February 17 – Fan Fest and Hootie & the Blowfish
Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest will take over the entirety of Fayetteville Street with food trucks, interactive exhibits, street hockey, a Ferris wheel, a beer garden, games and performances from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Stanley Cup will also be in attendance, and fans will have the opportunity to take pictures with the famous trophy from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. There will be two musical stages with Raleigh hip-hop stalwarts Kooley High and Chapel Hill’s Superchunk headlining the Capitol Stage and Asheville’s Toubab Krewe playing the City Plaza Stage. The public event is free and will feature a multitude of food and craft vendors, family-friendly activities, appearances from former Hurricanes players, and much more.
Capitol Stage music lineup
11:00 a.m. – Opening ceremony
12:15 p.m. – Ashley La Rue Band
1:45 p.m. – Jason Adamo
3:15 p.m. – Mega Colossus
4:45 p.m. – Kooley High
6:15 p.m. – Rosali
7:45 p.m. – Superchunk
City Plaza Stage music lineup
12:00 p.m. – Adam Lee Decker
1:30 p.m. – Into the Fog
3:00 p.m. – Paige King Johnson
4:30 p.m. – Mellow Swells
6:00 p.m. – James Dunn
7:30 p.m. – Toubab Krewe
PNC Arena will also host South Carolina roots rockers Hootie & the Blowfish, who will reunite for a special “one night only” pre-concert for the NHL Stadium Series with fellow South Carolina indie rock outfit, SUSTO. Hootie & the Blowfish reunited in 2019 for a 44-city tour to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the release of Cracked Rear View, one of the best-selling albums of all time. They released their sixth studio album, Imperfect Circle, in 2019, their first in over a decade. The concert starts at 8:00 p.m. and tickets are still available.
Saturday, February 18 – Game Day
The main event will finally arrive on Saturday. The NHL Stadium Series, presented by Navy Federal Credit Union, will host the Carolina Hurricanes against the Washington Capitals on an outdoor rink fabricated at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium. The outdoor game will not only be the Hurricanes first, but it will mark the league’s 13th Stadium Series game, and the southernmost host city and stadium in the series.
The matchup between the Hurricanes and the Capitals will be the teams’ third and final meeting of the regular season. As of publication of this article, the division-leading Hurricanes are on a seven-game winning streak and are 16 points ahead of the Capitals in the Eastern Conference. The two teams will also play on February 14 in D.C. ahead of Saturday’s game.
Pre-game and tailgating festivities begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Arena East 1000 parking lot at PNC Arena, and it’s free and open to any person with a ticket to the game. The Truly Hard Seltzer NHL PreGame will offer family-friendly interactive hockey games and attractions, live music, and special guest appearances. As for the game, doors open at 6:00 p.m. and fans are asked to be in their seats by 7:30 p.m. for the 8:00 p.m. puck drop. Intermission acts have not been released yet but, in keeping with the nature of the rest of the weekend, fans shouldn’t be disappointed. Few standard and resale tickets are available through Ticketmaster and the game will be televised on ABC and ESPN+ with former Canes goalie Kevin Weekes announcing the game.
Can’t make it to the game? Downtown Raleigh Alliance and Raleigh Parks are teaming up to host a free watch party at Moore Square Park for the historic matchup with a big screen. There will be food vendors and beer for sale with music and entertainment starting at 6:00 p.m. You can also bring your own blankets, chairs, and picnic baskets.
Monday, February 20 – Alumni Game and the “Frozen Finley”
The Hurricanes and Capitals won’t be the only teams taking the ice at Carter-Finley Stadium. Former Hurricanes players will participate in the Hurricanes’ 10th annual Alumni Game. Alumni including Bates Battaglia, Mike Commodore, Cam Ward and Tim Gleason will participate in the match, while Rod Brind’Amour and Justin Williams will act as coaches. The game will follow a standard three 20-minute period format, with an intermission after the second period. The Alumni Game starts at 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public (parking will cost $10), with the Carolina Hurricanes Foundation taking donations at the door.
NC State’s Icepack will take on the UNC Tar Heels Monday at 7:00 p.m. Officially dubbed the “Frozen Finley,” it will be the teams’ fourth matchup of the season. The event is free and open to the public with a suggested donation of $10 accepted at the door.
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Carolina Hurricanes NHL Stadium Series jerseys and merch
The Hurricanes unveiled their special-edition NHL Stadium Series jerseys on January 26. With a sleek black look, the uniform features the team’s logo on the crest, with italicized red jersey numbers on the back and large red block numbers on the sleeves. The jerseys and additional NHL Stadium Series merch are available for purchase at the team’s official store at PNC Arena or the online fan shop.
The Carolina Hurricanes first-ever outdoor NHL Stadium Series game against the Washington Capitals will take place Saturday, February 18, 2023 at Carter-Finley Stadium with the puck drop at 8:00 p.m., airing on ABC and ESPN+.
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