Carolina To Host New Jersey in Home Opener, Oct. 11

RALEIGH, N.C. (July 16, 2003) – Jim Rutherford, President and General Manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, today released the team’s schedule for the 2003-04 National Hockey League regular season. Carolina will open the franchise’s seventh season in North Carolina, and 25th in the NHL, on Thursday Oct. 9 at Florida before returning to the RBC Center on Oct. 11 for the home opener against Stanley Cup champion New Jersey.

The Hurricanes will play 19 of their 41 home games on weekends, including 12 games on Friday and Saturday nights. Carolina’s weekend home schedule features two match-ups against defending champion New Jersey as well as games against the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Montreal Canadiens, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

Breaking down the home schedule by day, the Hurricanes will play four games on Monday nights, seven games on Tuesday nights, three games on Wednesday nights, eight games on Thursday nights, five games on Friday nights, seven games on Saturday nights and seven games on Sundays. All regular-season games at the RBC Center will begin at 7 p.m., except three Sunday games that will begin at 1:30 p.m., four Sunday games at 5 p.m. and a New Year’s Eve match up against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim at 7:30 p.m.

Carolina will play each of its Southeast Division foes – Atlanta, Florida, Tampa Bay and Washington – six times, including three home contests against each divisional opponent. The Florida Panthers will visit Raleigh first on Oct. 13, before defending division champion Tampa Bay makes its first 2003-04 visit on Nov. 9. The Atlanta Thrashers play at the RBC Center on Nov. 13 while Washington begins its three-game Raleigh schedule on Nov. 15.

NHL All-Star Weekend will be Feb.7-8, with the All-Star Game taking place Feb. 8 at XCel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn.

Hurricanes full-season and mini-season ticket plans are currently available by calling 1-888-NHL-TIX1. Individual game tickets for October and November games will go on sale Sept. 28 at 10 a.m. in conjunction with the annual Caniac Carnival. Individual tickets for remaining 2003-04 games will go on sale at the beginning of the preceding month.

The Hurricanes will open training camp on Sept. 11 and will practice Sept. 12-18 at RecZone before traveling to Florida on Sept. 19 where they will open their eight-game exhibition schedule at Office Depot Center against the Panthers. Following their preseason game at Atlanta on Sept. 23, the Hurricanes will return to Raleigh for the remainder of training camp. Carolina will play three preseason games at the RBC Center: Thursday, Sept. 25 vs. Tampa Bay, Friday, Sept. 26 vs. Atlanta and Saturday, Oct. 4 vs. Washington.