RALEIGH, N.C. — All in all, it was quite the spectacle, as many expected.
The 2023 Stadium Series outdoor game had it all: sartorial team entrances, fireworks, festive atmosphere, bands playing, a packed Carter-Finley Stadium. It was, by any measure, an electric scene and a great party thrown for nearly 57,000.
And the hosts delivered. The Carolina Hurricanes controlled most of the game Saturday, taking a 4-1 victory over the Washington Capitals on a historic night that should make for a lot of memories for those who waited so long for the moment.
“We’ve got to make them proud,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said before the game. “Play hard and make everyone enjoy this night.”
Martin Necas had a goal and two assists, and Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Teuvo Teravainen each had a goal and assist for the Hurricanes (37-10-8), who led 1-0 after the first and then 4-0 after the second. Add in a Paul Stastny goal and the Canes were in front from start to finish.
If the ice conditions were a concern, and they usually are in outdoor games, it didn’t bother Andersen. He handled his play in the crease smoothly enough while assisting on the Teravainen score, allowing a third-period goal to Tom Wilson.
The Caps (28-24-6) were again without their captain, Alex Ovechkin, just as they were earlier in the week when they were beaten by the Canes in Washington. Ovechkin left the team to return to Russia and later used his social-media account to say his father had died.
This was a game first announced by the NHL in 2020, then put on hold by the pandemic until 2023. But it was also worth the wait and the sellout crowd of 56,961 ready for it.
After a week when the temperature reached the mid-70s, it was cooler Saturday and the game-time temperature 43 degrees — nearly perfect for those watching outside at N.C. State’s football stadium, including Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren.
Everyone from Brind’Amour to the Canes players to president and general manager Don Waddell kept emphasizing that it was a regular-season game, not an exhibition, and two points there for the winner. And the Caps need the points as they duel the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins and Florida Panthers for playoff position in what should be a fight to the finish line in the Eastern Conference.
Brind’Amour said he wanted the Canes to “bring it” in the game and that the Canes did.
Kotkaniemi’s goal had the home fans standing and cheering early, coming at 2:11 of the first period. It was the center’s second in as many games — he opened the Canes scoring Thursday in the 6-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens — and his third in the past four games.
Teravainen centered the puck and Kotkaniemi was there in front to beat Darcy Kuemper for his 10th of the season.
The Canes had another strong start in the second. Carolina did not score on an early power play, but Stastny was in the right spot at the right time to push a rebound past Kuemper for an even-strength goal at 5:47 of the period.
The Canes soon got another power-play chance — Jordan Staal being high-sticked — and took advantage as Necas gunned a shot from the left circle for his 22nd and a 30th assist for defenseman Brent Burns.
Necas’ goal made it 3-0, and the fleet winger then teamed with Teravainen for a transition score on a well-executed rush — and after the breakout pass from Andersen to Necas.
Make it three goals in 5:30 for the Canes. The Caps used their timeout and soon turned more physical.
The Canes’ Jordan Martinook dropped the gloves to trade blows with Washington’s Anthony Mantha, landing both players in the penalty boxes and Mantha getting an extra two minutes for cross-checking Martinook.
That skirmish had the stadium loud. So did a chase for a puck from some in the standing-room crowd at the south end of the stadium after a shot sailed over the netting.
But it was loud most of the night. It was historic and it was special.
The only question: wonder when it will happen again?
