The Carolina Hurricanes may wear red and black, but for much of the hockey world right now, they’re carrying the stars and stripes.
With their playoff series against the Vegas Golden Knights deadlocked at 2-2, the Hurricanes have emerged as something of “America’s Team” among neutral fans looking for a rooting interest. It’s not hard to understand why.
Carolina represents one of the NHL’s traditional underdog success stories. The franchise built its contender status through smart drafting, player development and patience. Vegas, meanwhile, has become one of the league’s biggest villains in the eyes of opposing fan bases thanks to its rapid success since entering the NHL.
As a result, many fans who don’t normally follow the Hurricanes have jumped aboard the bandwagon for the remainder of the series.
The Canes also boast one of hockey’s loudest home crowds and have developed a reputation for playing a fast, aggressive style that appeals to casual viewers. In a postseason full of drama, they’ve become an easy team for neutrals to embrace.
Now comes the hard part.
With the series tied 2-2, every shift and every bounce could determine who advances. Carolina has the opportunity to seize control and send one of the NHL’s modern powerhouses home.
Whether they’re truly America’s Team is up for debate. But one thing is clear: a lot of fans who have never yelled “Let’s Go Canes” before are doing exactly that this week.
