Hurricanes-Capitals Stadium Series will have college football feel

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The 2023 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series will embrace the college football game day experience with on-field seating, a marching band and an overall festive atmosphere.

"People are going to come early and tailgate," NHL chief content officer Steve Mayer said Monday at Carter-Finley Stadium, home to the North Carolina State University football team. "We've seen the culture here, and we fully expect that will be the culture for this game."
The outdoor game between the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, SN360, TVAS, ESPN+, SN NOW) will be played in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 57,000 fans, including close to 1,000 N.C. State students who will view the game from field level in bleacher seating on the south side of the field.
The N.C. State marching band, the Power Sound of the South, will entertain the fans throughout the game. The blending of experiences is part of the appeal for the university.
"We're proud of who we are, and this is a great opportunity for us to share this great university with people who otherwise wouldn't have much interaction," N.C. State director of athletics Boo Corrigan said. "Their first experience could be coming to this game and seeing what this stadium is, seeing what this environment is and seeing everything that we are."
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In addition to the students and marching band, the game presentation will include appearances by N.C. State legends.
"For us, it's really important to celebrate not only the Hurricanes and hockey in this region, but to celebrate N.C. State," Mayer said. "From the things we're going to incorporate from a creative standpoint, we're really going all in on N.C. State as well, whether it's alumni, whether it's the marching band or other elements you might see in a football game. That's part of why it's special wherever we go."
The weather has not been an issue for 14-person ice crew since the ice truck arrived here on Feb. 6. Even an all-day rain on Sunday helped, thanks to temperatures in the 40s.
"A full day of rain actually helps us," Mayer said. "We're trying to build a level of ice, and we used the rain to our advantage. It worked out well. Game day temperatures look great, actually perfect."

Rain in the forecast for Friday, when each team is scheduled to practice on the outdoor rink.
"It's a real-time decision," Mayer said. "We will try to get them on the ice, but if the rain is significant, we will probably move them into an indoor facility. We want to get them out there and at least get a feel for it, but we want to preserve the ice for Saturday's game. Right now, it's trending to be a 50-50 decision."

As the ice resurfacing machines circled the rink on a sunny 62-degree day, preparations for the Stadium Series remained on schedule. With a unique atmosphere taking shape, enthusiasm is running high.
"We're surprised how quickly this fan base gobbled up tickets," Mayer said. "Absolutely incredible. It shows how this market has grown, how much they love hockey. I think it's one of the fastest selling games we've ever had."