Montreal Canadiens v Carolina Hurricanes, February 17, 2000RBC Center, Section 108 Row K
This was my first time in the new RBC Center.
Our seats were in the corner in the first row above the Zamboni entrance. The place was much smaller then other venues I was in recently. Much more intimate. NHL hockey was new to Raleigh as the Hurricanes played the two previous seasons over an hour west in Greensboro.
There was a new game in town to go along with NASCAR and Tobacco Row basketball.
One of my Flyer favorites was just traded. Rod Brind'Amour looked out of place warming up in the Hurricanes white sweater.
The new home team was playing sub 500 ball at the time. This 3-0 shellacking didn't help sell a new team to a new Southern city.
His team shut out in two straight games against Montreal, Carolina head coach Paul Maurice grudgingly praised the Canadiens' tight defensive game.
"They are happy to be playing that (kind of) game," Maurice said. "They're away from home, they're playing a defensive game and everybody has written them off out of the playoffs.
"They don't care how many shots you get or how many chances you get. They know that (goalie Jose) Theodore is going to stop the majority of them and all they need is one or two."
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