Raleigh — The Carolina Hurricanes and their fans celebrated the first major pro title in the state's history Tuesday, with the 114-year-old Stanley Cup signifying that hockey has found a home in North Carolina.
"Nine years in the making. It's about time," said Adrian Ionescu, 19, of Cary.
In the team's second trip to the Stanley Cup final since the former Hartford Whalers moved south in 1997, the Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 on Monday night, prompting Tuesday's parade of pickup trucks carrying players through a cheering crowd of "Caniacs" at the RBC Center.
Assistant captain Glen Wesley held the Stanley Cup aloft as children in his truck pitched foam pucks into the crowd as if they were medallions tossed from a Mardi Gras float.
Long lines formed for beer and smoothies on the 30 C-degree day, and a band played as the crowd waited for the players to arrive.
"They call it a nontraditional hockey market, but there's all those people out there screaming in the heat," defenceman Aaron Ward said. "So maybe by the standards of temperature we're not a hockey market, but we've got some enthusiasm out there."
Bill Murphy, 44, of Raleigh, wore his red Hurricanes sweater and took pride in the life-size replica of the trophy he spent hours building out of cardboard, tape and aluminum foil using specifications he found on the Internet. He said he attached it to the trunk of his Honda Accord two days ago.
A transplanted New Yorker and an Islanders fan his entire life, Murphy wanted his eight-year-old son Brendan to experience his adopted city's celebration.
"There's so much history in that cup," Murphy said. "Some people think it's just a trophy, but it's a way of life for hockey fans."
Bob Cadran, 55, of Apex, sat on a folding chair under a shady tree wearing his new Hurricanes championship baseball cap. The former Massachusetts resident compared the day's thrill to his beloved Boston Red Sox recovering from a 3-0 deficit in the 2004 AL championship series and beating the New York Yankees before winning a World Series for the first time since 1918.
"This is heaven. I called my mom and said this was better than the Red Sox winning four straight from the Yankees and winning the series. This is our home team," Cadran said.
The party Tuesday night had the feel of a Hollywood premiere as the players — some stopping to give high-fives — left the parade vehicles and walked by waving, cheering fans toward the stage.
"I didn't know what to expect," defenceman Mike Commodore said. "I didn't know how many people would show up, but there's a lot of people here. People are excited and it's great. I'm glad they appreciate and everybody enjoys what we did."
The party will continue Wednesday when the team heads to the state House chamber before an afternoon parade through downtown, capping a celebration that started the moment Carolina won the Cup Monday night.
Commodore said he didn't manage to get into bed until 7:30 a.m.
"From what I remember, it was great," he said.
