Spread the love

By Sonny Jones

I’m well aware that folks in Bladen County are Tar Heels, Wolfpackers or Blue Devils. Maybe toss in some Deacons with Bladenboro’s connection to the Bridger family. There are lots of Knights and Eagles. You’ll find a collection of Panthers and Hornets and Pirates as well.

For me, it’s the Hurricanes. Admittedly, you can probably count on one hand the number of people in Bladen County who closely follow the Raleigh-based National Hockey League team.

The season opens at 7 tonight at PNC Arena against the Columbus Blue Jackets. My wife and I will be there in our center ice seats shown above one row above the mezzanine in Section 304, Row C, Seats 15-16.

Retirement has its advantages.

After years of attending a game now and then, I took the plunge late last season and purchased 2022-23 season tickets. It allowed us to purchase tickets for the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, which my son and I watched the Hurricanes eliminated in the second round by the New York Rangers.

I don’t know much about hockey as far as fundamentals and strategy and I don’t recall ever putting on a pair of ice skates, but I find the game exciting and intense, especially with an arena packed with fans. It doesn’t hurt that the Hurricanes are among the top teams in the NHL and are legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

I figure to be at most home games. My son and his girlfriend, who live in Raleigh, will attend some games. Some tickets have been listed on Ticketmaster. (Hey, I can make a deal to avoid the fees if you’re interested.) If the tickets don’t sell, then I’ll be at PNC Arena. It’s a win-win.

So, you enjoy your Tar Heels, Wolfpack, Blue Devils, Deacons, Knights, Eagles, Panthers, Hornets and Pirates. I’ll be in the eye of the storm all season with the Hurricanes. Can’t wait for the puck to drop.

WEDNESDAY’S PICK TO CLICK

Hurricanes defenseman Brent Burns will have 2 points, including one on the power play, in the opener against Columbus. The bearded all-star, who was acquired from San Jose in the offseason, looks as good as ever as he begins his 20th NHL season.

TUESDAY’S PICK: Max Fried will give the Braves a solid five innings and Austin Riley will drive in a pair of runs as Atlanta beats Philadelphia in Game 1 of the NLDS. RESULTS: Fried was ripped for 4 earned run on 8 hits and struck out 2 in only 3.1 innings as the Braves rallied late but lost 7-6. Riley was 0-for-4 with 3 strikeouts

TODAY IN SPORTS HISTORY

• 1940 — Tennessee registers its 17th consecutive regular-season shutout with a 53-0 rout of Tennessee-Chattanooga.

WHAT TO WATCH TODAY

• MLB PLAYOFFS: Philadelphia at Atlanta, 4:30 p.m., FOX

• NHL: Columbus at Carolina, 7 p.m., BALLY SOUTH

• NHL: Boston at Washington, 7 p.m., TNT

• FOOTBALL: Louisiana-Lafayette at Marshall, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2

• NBA PRESEASON: Brooklyn at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m., ESPN

• MLB PLAYOFFS: San Diego at LA Dodgers, 8:30 p.m., FS1

• NHL: Chicago at Colorado, 9:30 p.m., TNT

• NBA PRESEASON: Minnesota at LA Lakers, 10 p.m., ESPN

• PGA: ZOZO Championship, 11 p.m., GOLF