June 14, 2006. Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” was riding high on the Billboard Hot 100. Cars was enjoying a financial windfall at the box office. The FAA certified a spaceport in Oklahoma, allowing space flights to launch from the Clinton-Sherman Industrial Airpark. Heady times, indeed, and the Carolina Hurricanes were looking to add themselves to the headlines.
The eyes of the hockey world were focused on Raleigh’s RBC Center, the site of Game 5 of the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. After winning the first two games at home and splitting two games in Edmonton, the Hurricanes returned home, seeking to capture The Cup in front of their ravenous fans.