Hurricanes top Capitals 4-1 in Carolina’s 1st outdoor game

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes stepped out of the tunnel in a stadium packed stuffed with buzzing followers, with the lights from cellphone flashlights bouncing alongside the stands and North Carolina State’s marching band enjoying to their pregame stroll to an out of doors rink.

“Not having skilled a kind of,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour stated, “I don’t know the way it may very well be a lot better, to be sincere with you.”

The Hurricanes did their half on the ice, too.

Martin Necas had a purpose and two assists to assist the Hurricanes beat the Washington Capitals 4-1 on Saturday evening of their first NHL Stadium Sequence outside sport.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Paul Stastny and Teuvo Teravainen additionally scored for Carolina, which accomplished a three-game season sweep of their Metropolitan Division foe.

The sport was held at Carter-Finley Stadium, house to North Carolina State’s school soccer group and throughout the road from Carolina’s house ice at PNC Area. Delayed two years due to COVID-19 attendance restrictions, the sport drew a buzzing sellout crowd of 56,961 followers on an evening that felt extra like spectacle than a regular-season sport.

“That was cool,” Stastny stated. “I’m not an enormous school (soccer) man however I at all times form of watch these Saturday evening video games beneath the lights, once they come down from the tunnel, and that’s what it form of felt like.”

“There’s no query,” Carolina captain Jordan Staal stated, “these are pinch-yourself moments.”

Tom Wilson scored within the third interval for the Capitals, who suffered their fourth straight loss. The previous three have come with out captain and main goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin, who’s away after the demise of his father.

“We’ve received to get our confidence again,” Wilson stated. “We’ve received to get our swagger again just a little bit.”

Carolina completed with a tenth win in 11 video games. And this one had the added significance that got here with the long-awaited outside sport — the newest likelihood for the league to carry considered one of its marquee occasions in a so-called “nontraditional” market inside its southern footprint.

Temperatures hit the 70s for a number of days earlier within the week, whereas rain arrived to delay Friday’s practices, however situations had been optimum Saturday: clear and chilly all day, with temperatures dipping into the low 40s by the puck drop and excessive 30s by the ultimate horn.

The Hurricanes gave their festive crowd loads of causes to remain rowdy, beginning with Kotkaniemi’s end in shut barely two minutes into the sport. Then Carolina scored three objectives in a 5 1/2-minute span of the second interval to blow this one open.

“We discovered ourselves chasing them and chasing the sport,” Washington coach Peter Laviolette stated.

The spotlight was Necas hammering a one-timer on the ability play from the left aspect previous Darcy Kuemper. The flurry additionally included Hurricane goaltender Frederik Andersen tallying an help.

On an evening when he completed with 24 saves, Andersen earned some extent when he lofted a protracted cross to Teravainen to ignite a 2-on-1 likelihood, with Teravainen passing to Necas, who drew Kuemper to his aspect and despatched it again to Teravainen for the simple putaway and a 4-0 lead.

SWEET THREADS

The groups adopted outdoor-game custom by arriving in coordinated and themed apparel, from a comfortable afternoon on the links to a throwback to glory days on the high school gridiron.

The Hurricanes walked from PNC Area in old-timey plaid golf knickers, matching hats and a black prime over a white collared shirt with crimson tie. Defensemen Brent Burns and Jaccob Slavin had been amongst these to finish the look by carrying a golf membership.

The Capitals exited a faculty bus sporting blue denims, a white T-shirt, customized lettermen-styled jackets, knitted caps and toting footballs.

GOLF SURGE

Fittingly, Carolina’s postgame “Storm Surge” on-ice celebration for the followers adopted the golf theme.

After main followers in coordinated claps, the gamers dropped their gloves to the ice used their hockey sticks to swing at them as if they had been teeing off.

NODS TO THE PACK

NHL chief content material officer Steve Mayer had stated the evening would additionally honor host N.C. State. And there have been loads such touches.

The Wolfpack marching band sat behind one purpose at ice stage. Mascots Mr. and Ms. Wuf sported Hurricanes gear. And there was the acquainted soccer gameday sight of the motorized cart that includes a big white N.C. State soccer helmet on a wolf head parked close to the Capitals tunnel.

Former Wolfpack basketball greats David Thompson and Dereck Whittenburg — who led N.C. State to NCAA championships in 1974 and 1983, respectively — launched the Hurricanes as they emerged from the tunnel.

And at last, there was Ripken the Bat Dog — official tee retriever for N.C. State soccer and bat retriever for the close by minor-league Durham Bulls baseball group — performing a ceremonial puck drop between Staal and Washington’s Nicklas Backstrom.

UP NEXT

Capitals: Host Detroit on Tuesday evening.

Hurricanes: Host St. Louis on Tuesday evening.

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Observe Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap

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