
2. Hockey is for Everyone
Last night was also Hockey is for Everyone night in Raleigh, or as the Carolina Hurricanes labeled it, Pride Night. There were sticks taped in Pride Tape, prominent members of the LGBT community from around Carolina present, and for the most part, tolerance in the air. Fans modified their favorite Jerseys with pride tape to give it flair and the team’s Hockey is for Everyone ambassador, Trevor Van Riemsdyk took the ceremonial puck drop.
There was more history being made in this game. For the first time in NHL history a game was being broadcast in the indigenous language of Plains Cree on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network. It was truly a Hockey game for everyone. Ferland was the only Cree player in the game, which may have made this a deciding factor for the choice in game, but none the less an honor for the Carolina Hurricanes:
This is so cool. NHL hockey like I’ve never heard it before. The Canadiens & Hurricanes in the Plains Cree language. Catch it on APTN. 🏒 #HometownHockey #UnitedBySport pic.twitter.com/E0Z9g3BkwB
— Christine Simpson (@SNChrisSimpson) March 24, 2019
As the ambassador for Hockey is for everyone night, It was fitting that it would be Trevor Van Riemsdyk that would the first to crack Carey Price and give the team and the fans something to cheer for. On Hockey is for Everyone night, Van Riemsdyk took a page out of the captain’s playbook and took leadership on the ice as Mr.Clutch. His third goal this season brought the Carolina Hurricanes to a tie that allowed everyone to finally take a breath:
That puck had eyes! pic.twitter.com/tuuC4gsTF4
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 25, 2019
That goal was completely unexpected, Trevor was just trying to get it to the net, it was supposed to go wide of the net and harmlessly into the corner, but a Canadien got in the way and it every so lightly deflected towards the net. Somehow Price, who had stopped 36 consecutive shots, completely missed it and the game was tied. The momentum of the game completely shifted. While they only managed a measly four shots on goal in the second period, their first didn’t come until the 14:34 mark of that period.
In contrast, the final four shots from the Carolina Hurricanes decided the game. After that goal, the Canadiens were suddenly on their heels against a re-surging Carolina Hurricanes team that seemed determined to take two points. While it took extra minutes of hockey to get it done, The Carolina Hurricanes accomplished it.