NHL Stadium Series: A comprehensive look into the game experience on Saturday

It’s time for the 2023 NHL Stadium Series. The Hurricanes will play host to the Washington Capitals at NC State’s Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday, February 18.

The venue has a capacity of 56,919 seats and is home to the NC State Wolfpack football team. More importantly, it is located across the street from PNC Arena, which is the Carolina Hurricanes' home venue. The surrounding area is going to be abuzz with hockey fever. Local officials have urged newcomers to get to the game early to avoid the traffic.

For the first time since the 2014 Winter Classic at Michigans’ “Big House”, an NHL game will be played outdoors on a college campus. Expect the college atmosphere to shine throughout the event. The NHL is visiting one of the best college towns in the country.

Here are new details regarding the NHL Stadium Series game and events this Saturday.

College seating

The game between the Capitals and Hurricanes will be the first outdoor game to feature college-specific seating for students. Just like in college football, students are assigned to sit in a section at a discounted price.

NC State students can apply for special seats in makeshift stands on the field. The reason for this is to create more of a “college-like” atmosphere at the game. NC State’s marching band could also be making an appearance.

Notable Attendees

NHL Outdoor games usually have their fair share of celebrity attendees. Tomorrow's clash between the Capitals and Hurricanes will be no different. Tennis star John Isner plans to be in attendance. He grew up in Greensboro, North Carolina, which is just 72 miles west of the NC State campus.

The Hurricanes are also bringing in a group of Fort Bragg Army veterans to be honored at the game. They will be cheering on the team in the Hurricanes' fan zone. The veterans compete for a local hockey club called the 'Camp Patriot Hockey Team'. They will be given front-row tickets in their section.

Pre-game entertainment

The Hurricanes have tagged two music acts to perform at the event. Lovelytheband will be playing for fans prior to puck drop. The band has said they expect their performance to be “AC/DC but bigger”.

Country star Jake Owen will be performing during the first intermission. Fans are encouraged to download the NHL app to receive possible invitations to come down to the field for both performances. The two performances will also be broadcast live on ABC.