The NC State Icepack dominated the UNC Tar Heels with a 7-3 win in the first-ever Frozen Finley game at Carter-Finley Stadium on Monday, Feb. 20.
Over 24,000 fans packed the lower bowl and upper deck seating to experience a once-in-a-lifetime outdoor hockey rivalry showdown, smashing the all-time ACHA attendance record. The game even had a higher attendance than the previous two NCAA “Frozen Fenway” games combined at Fenway Park in Boston. This was a crucial win in the “cold war” between ACHA “club hockey” and the NCAA.
Speaking of fan turnout, Frozen Finley also became the second-most attended hockey game in the history of the state of North Carolina. Just two days before, the first-place record was set by the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals in their Stadium Series matchup, where the Canes won 4-1 in front of a sold-out crowd in the same venue.
Hockey has had a huge impact on the Raleigh community this weekend between the Stadium Series NHL game, the Hurricanes Fan Fest in downtown Raleigh, the 10th annual Hurricanes Alumni Game and the NC State Icepack game. A hockey market that hasn’t been around long is now flourishing in a place that not a lot of fans of the game would expect.
“I think Raleigh is the hockey capital of the southeast, but I think we might even be expanding that footprint,” said head coach Tim Healy. “We showed the world this weekend what we can do for hockey on the pro level and on the collegiate level. It’s unreal.”
This spectacle has put NC State’s hockey team on the map, gaining attention and support from the likes of ESPN’s Marty Smith, Hurricanes head coach Rod Brind’Amour and even Chancellor Randy Woodson himself, who dropped the puck for the historic matchup.
As for the game itself, freshman forward Zach Herman made his name known by every household in Raleigh, scoring a hat trick. He is one of the fastest skaters on the team and used his speed to his advantage, giving the UNC defensemen nightmares all night long.
Sophomore defenseman Logan Todd, sophomore forward Phillip Bailey, senior forward Matt Miller and junior forward Drew Bresingham each put a puck in the back of the net in the contest as well.
NC State now sits at a 2-3 record versus the Heels this season and will look to break even when both teams travel to Springfield, Virginia to compete in the first round of ACHA Southeast Regionals on Feb. 24. Puck drop is set for 10:20 p.m.
