When the opposition is a team from the Western Conference, most of the crowd at PNC Arena is Carolina Hurricanes fans, with perhaps a smattering of supporters for the opposition. But when the Canes play a team from the Eastern Conference, particularly Pittsburgh, Detroit, Washington, either of the New York teams or Boston, thousands of supporters for those teams fill the Carolina Hurricanes’ home arena, wearing jerseys and chanting for their team. The recent home tilt against Pittsburgh, in particular, felt more akin to a road game than a home game.
This is a by-product of the nature of the Research Triangle Park region, which is filled with transplants, many from northern areas.