Caniacs got the grills going at mid-day for an 8 p.m. puck drop against the Panthers.
BREEZY. WE'LL SEE SOME GUSTS THIS AFTERNOON UP TO 20 MPH. ELIZABETH, THANKS. >> EVEN THOUGH IT IS HURRICANE SEASON. THE HOCKEY KIND. THE CANES ARE BACK IN ACTION TONIGHT FOR THE FIRST GAME OF THE EASTERN CONFERENCE. FINAL. ONLY 4 TEAMS LEFT IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS AND THE CANES HOPE TO BE THE ONLY ONE STANDING WRAL'S. BRETT KNESE IS LIVE OUTSIDE. PNC ARENA BEFORE THE CANES TAKE ON THE FLORIDA PANTHERS TONIGHT. BRETT CANES HAVE WORKED HARD TO GET TO THIS POINT AND FANS ARE READY TO KEEP CHEERING THEM ON. >> YEAH, THEY THEY HAVE. AND IT'S BEEN ABOUT A WEEK SINCE THE CANES LAST TOOK THE ICE HERE WHEN THEY WRAPPED UP ROUND 2 AGAINST NEW JERSEY LAST THURSDAY. BUT IN JUST A COUPLE HOURS, THOUSANDS OF FANS ARE GOING TO PACK THIS PARKING LOT FOR A TRADITION. A HURRICANE TRADITION, UNLIKE ANY OTHER, THE TAILGATING THAT HAPPENS OUT HERE, IT IS IMPRESSIVE. YOU'RE GOING TO PLENTY OF PEOPLE OUT HERE WITH TENTS AND GRILLS. OF COURSE, THERE'S PLENTY OF BEER GO AROUND. IT'S AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE GAME DAY EXPERIENCE HERE AT PNC ARENA. AND IT REALLY SETS THE TONE BEFORE PEOPLE GO INSIDE THE LOUDEST HOUSE IN THE NHL TO CHEER ON THE HURRICANES. >> EXCITING WAS THAT COULD BARELY SLEEP. JUST TRYING TO LEAVE TO GO TO COME DOWN. HERE IS OVER TAILGATING AND STAFF FENCE. REALLY BIG PART OF BEFORE THE GAMES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. SO WE, OF COURSE, HAVE A GOOD TIME. I MEET A LOT OF NEW DIFFERENT PEOPLE TO AND WE ALWAYS HAVE A GOOD TIME. >> SO THE DEEPER THE THAT HE MAKES PLAYOFF RUN, THE MORE INTENSE THE TAILGATING GETS LAST ROUND. I MET PEOPLE OUT HERE THAT WE'RE HERE AS EARLY AS 2 O'CLOCK BEFORE SOME GAMES. SO THAT MEANS PEOPLE ARE ABOUT TO SHOW UP HERE FOR THE NEXT 30 MINUTES OR SO. RENEE, THE TAILGATING IS ESSENTIAL TO THE GAME DAY EXPERIENCE. >> AND THEY'LL HAVE GREAT WEATHER FOR IT. AND THEN WHEN THEY GO INSIDE, IT WILL BE THE LOUDEST HOUSE IN THE NHL. ONCE AGAIN. BRETT KNESE LIVE
