Carolina Hurricanes: What to know?

Alabamacoastie

Adiutor vicinorum
Puddle Pirate
2A Bourbon Hound 2024
2A Bourbon Hound OG
Life Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Feb 22, 2018
Messages
6,511
Location
Pittsboro, NC
Rating - 100%
74   0   0
Hi everyone. Tonight im taking my wife and daughters to our first hockey game ever. My 7yo daughter won tickets from her school.

I'm assuming the place is posted... are there metal detectors... Please let me know anything about security... If it's posted, can I at least carry a pocket knife?

How early should we arrive? Is it easy to find parking?

Anything we should watch out for or stay away from?

Thank you all!
 
In case you don't know the finer points of hockey...


That was funny!

But, truthfully, no.... We know nothing about hockey. None of us have ever even seen a match up on tv...

But, I'm looking forward to seeing a fight. Is that still a thing? Or has the fighting petty much been taken away from hockey?

Tonight's match up is the Hurricanes vs the NJ Devils, if that makes any difference...
 
I think Eddie goes to a lot of the matches. PNC really doesn't have any bad seats. If yall are up in the top, hang on to the youngones, it is a bit steeper than normal. If you get up during the period, they may not let you walk back into your seat until the play stops. If you have to "pick up" your tickets, I'd plan 1.5 hours early, but doors don't open until 1hr before puck drop so plan to get there around that time. You will get lost inside so it may take 15 minutes to find your seats. Keep your ticket with you at all times as sometimes the ticket Nazis won't let you back to your seat if you get up.

We usually go once a year. Parking at the PNC arena is $20 or free if you want to park on Carter Finley or the fair grounds and walk. Park like you want to get out ASAP as it is usually crazy when 15-18,000 are leaving at once. Closer to the arena = longer to get out. You can plan ahead on trying to get out one way, but just plan on getting out any way (most likely you won't have a choice due to how they direct you), then once on a bigger road (Blue Ridge, Edwards Mill/Wade Ave) decide how to get home from there.

Security is just below airport level. Plan on bags looked into and coats checked/wanded. No pocket knifes. https://www.pncarena.com/policies

Food and beer have their typical stadium mark ups. It isn't cheap but there are some good eats there (cheese steaks, beef sandwiches, peppers & onions) heart attack indigestion fests.

Typically since we only go once a year we:
-Eat dinner elsewhere
-Arrive 1hr 15 before start.
-Pay to park at PNC
-Usually takes 5-15 mins to get through the doors and security.
-Walk around and check things out, grab a drink and sit down and watch warm ups (I think start around 45 mins before puck drop)
-Watch the game and get a snack or check out souvenir stand during the intermissions.
-Leaving is a mess, either run like heck and get out asap or just take it slow and wait.

Back in college I could get tickets for $15 and we went to a lot of games the year they won the Stanly cup. We would park at the fair grounds and drink a few beers to the door (cheaper this way). Then by the time you walked back to your truck most of the traffic was on the way out.


As far as the rules, look up "icing" the puck to understand this and how the blue lines are used. https://www.startplayinghockey.com/ice-hockey-rules/
 
Last edited:
I think Eddie goes to a lot of the matches. PNC really doesn't have any bad seats. If yall are up in the top, hang on to the youngones, it is a bit steeper than normal. If you get up during the period, they may not let you walk back into your seat until the play stops. If you have to "pick up" your tickets, I'd plan 1.5 hours early, but doors don't open until 1hr before puck drop so plan to get there around that time. You will get lost inside so it may take 15 minutes to find your seats. Keep your ticket with you at all times as sometimes the ticket Nazis won't let you back to your seat if you get up.

We usually go once a year. Parking at the PNC arena is $20 or free if you want to park on Carter Finley or the fair grounds and walk. Park like you want to get out ASAP as it is usually crazy when 15-18,000 are leaving at once. Closer to the arena = longer to get out. You can plan ahead on trying to get out one way, but just plan on getting out any way (most likely you won't have a choice due to how they direct you), then once on a bigger road (Blue Ridge, Edwards Mill/Wade Ave) decide how to get home from there.

Security is just below airport level. Plan on bags looked into and coats checked/wanded. No pocket knifes. https://www.pncarena.com/policies

Food and beer have their typical stadium mark ups. It isn't cheap but there are some good eats there (cheese steaks, beef sandwiches, peppers & onions) heart attack indigestion fests.

Typically since we only go once a year we:
-Eat dinner elsewhere
-Arrive 1hr 15 before start.
-Pay to park at PNC
-Usually takes 5-15 mins to get through the doors and security.
-Walk around and check things out, grab a drink and sit down and watch warm ups (I think start around 45 mins before puck drop)
-Watch the game and get a snack or check out souvenir stand during the intermissions.
-Leaving is a mess, either run like heck and get out asap or just take it slow and wait.

Back in college I could get tickets for $15 and we went to a lot of games the year they won the Stanly cup. We would park at the fair grounds and drink a few beers to the door (cheaper this way). Then by the time you walked back to your truck most of the traffic was on the way out.


As far as the rules, look up "icing" the puck to understand this and how the blue lines are used. https://www.startplayinghockey.com/ice-hockey-rules/
Thanks this is exactly what I was looking for. Where to park, when to get there, security concerns, etc.
 
You're welcome. I just realized today is valentines day so it may be a bit more busy so you may want to add a bit more time. Having an understanding of the rules helps to explain all the whistles to the younger ones. It helped to keep my dates more interested in it if it was their first game.
 
I'll admit I thought this topic was about weather related cyclonic phenomenon.....lol

DS
 
I'll admit I thought this topic was about weather related cyclonic phenomenon.....lol

DS
All you need to know about the weather is:

Greta is a high school student, not a scientist.

And

Epstein didn't kill himself.
 
I go to quite few games at different venues.
You may be shocked at how cold it actually is in the arena. be prepared.
Great insight! I'll make sure the wife and girls bring jackets inside.
 
Basic rules that my wife still asks me to explain every time I watch a game.

OFFSIDES: The team with the puck is attacking towards the defenders goal. There is a 'blue line' that defines the zone. The PUCK must cross the blue line heading towards the defender's goal BEFORE the attacking skaters. If I'm carrying the puck and my teammate crosses the blue line before me, that's offsides and the whistle blows.

ICING: Is when a defender in his defensive zone (near the goal he's protecting) gets the puck the hell out of the zone and slaps it all the way down the other end of the rink. If you're a football fan, think of it like Intentional Grounding - the QB is about to get sacked so he just chucks the ball downfield but there's no one around to catch it. In this case, the whistle blows and the puck comes back down to the defender's end for a face off

A twist on ICING...during a power play, the short handed team can ICE the puck without consequence.

Hooking, Tripping, stick fouls, etc. - Essentially you can't use the stick to interfere with a guy

Penalty / POWER PLAY: When a penalty is called...the Ref (orange arm band) raises his arm indicating a penalty. The play doesn't stop until the penalized team gains control of the puck. So the other team will often times regroup and play a bit of cat & mouse with the puck until they have fresh legs on the ice. You'll see the goal tender for the other team sometimes skate like crazy to the bench so a 6th attacker can come on the ice. Once the offending team touches the puck, the whistle stops and the goalie comes back out.

After the penalty is called, the offending player is sent to the box and feels shame. The offending team skates a man down (up to 2 men down if multiple penalties are called) until the penalty is over and the player is released. This 'man down' time is called a power play. It ends when the time is up or a goal is scored by the full strength team.
 
Last edited:
To expand on what was said above...
Try to have some "hockey etiquette". Unless absolutely necessary, dont get and up head to the bathroom or the concessions during play. It just blocks people's view of the game and pisses some off. Wait until a whistle and then go up. Like said above, when going back to your seat, the ushers wont let you go back down until there is a whistle.

Have fun and let us know how you liked it!
 
Last edited:
One other thing if it is a TV game there are commercials. Look for the TV official along the boards in the center of ice on the opposite side of the rink from the team. There is a red light. This signals that a commercial is needed at the next break in play and stays lit as the commercial is ongoing. When it goes out they come back to play.
 
This may have already been stated but there are metal detectors at PNC arena. Be prepared to fall in love with hockey. Best game on Earth. Go Canes!
Thank you for the definitive answer... Looks like I'll be defending my family with pure charisma and bare hands tonight... ;)
 
That’s actually my favorite vantage point. You can really see a play develop going either way.
Yes, I just told my wife this is the perfect seat to see everything!
 
That’s actually my favorite vantage point. You can really see a play develop going either way.
At the old Hershey bears AHL arena there was a mezzanine you could stand and watch the game from. It was halfway up all around the rink. I found myself standing at the goal end many times just for that reason.
 
Glad you enjoyed it.
Hockey is an awesome sport (just got in from playing tonight in GSO)
I hate the Canes.
 
Back
Top Bottom