Hurricanes are on ESPN for first time in 18 years, but it’s not on cable. How to find it
The scoresheet reads like a “who’s who” of NHL past: Lindros. Messier. Leetch. Kovalev. Markov.
And a little closer to home: Francis. Weekes. Ward. Vasicek. Brind’Amour.
This was, by all accounts, a regular NHL game: Game No. 613, midseason, the exact midway point for the Carolina Hurricanes as they faced a veteran New York Rangers squad at what was then known as the RBC Center in Raleigh. The puck dropped at 7:08 p.m., the final whistle blew at 9:24, and shortly thereafter, the television cameras turned off, with the commentators tossing back to the ESPN studios for the nightly recap.
It’s that last part that made the game of special note to Canes faithful. That game, on Jan. 8, 2004, was the last time ESPN hockey broadcast a game from Raleigh.
Until Thursday.
The 18-year, 5-day drought is a result of the shift in NHL television contracts. Plenty of “marquee” games happened here and were broadcast on NBC and its affiliates during the time that network held the league’s TV rights.
But the allure of ESPN, and the nostalgia it conjures, never fades.
Only problem is, the Canes games being on ESPN will affect how the average fan in the Triangle is able to access the game, assuming you’re not there in person at PNC Arena.
How to watch
Officially, ESPN’s big game of the day Thursday is Philadelphia at Boston (amazing that the Flyers are playing, considering, right?). They will be on the big network for a 7 p.m. faceoff.
But, the Canes game will also be exclusively available to watch on ESPN+ and Hulu, which means no Bally Sports feed.
ESPN+ and Hulu are both available to streaming customers via a variety of platforms, including but not limited to Roku and Apple TV.
If your streaming hardware doesn’t offer the ESPN app, there are still a few options for you. For Android users, you can use Cast ESPN+ to push the feed from your phone to a Google Chromecast. If you’re using an older Apple TV device, you can use AirPlay to stream from your iPhone to your TV.
Practice update
The Canes practiced this morning at Wake Competition Center, and rolled through some familiar line combinations. Sebastian Aho centered Teuvo Teravainen and Seth Jarvis; Vincent Trocheck worked with Andrei Svechnikov and Jesper Fast; Jordan Staal led Nino Niederreiter and Martin Necas; and Derek Stepan lined up with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Steven Lorentz.
But the bigger intrigue was between the pipes. The “will he or won’t he” around whether newly signed Jack Lafontaine will play only intensified when he — and not Alex Lyon — took the ice Thursday morning along with Frederik Andersen.
Andersen did occupy what is traditionally the “starter’s crease” during practice, though.
On defense, with Jaccob Slavin in COVID protocols, Brady Skjei skated with Tony DeAngelo, Ian Cole with Brett Pesce and Brendan Smith with Ethan Bear.
What’s in a number?
According to the Canes’ game notes, Jack LaFontaine will wear No. 80.
The irony here? The only other person to wear No. 80 in Canes history is Kevin Weekes, the goalie of record the last time the Canes played at home on ESPN. Weekes will be in the building Thursday, part of the ESPN broadcast team assigned to the game.
