All-Star ice hockey game comes to Raleigh

A hurricane of ice hockey fans will be heading to North Carolina this weekend to watch their favorite team players compete.

The 58th National Hockey League All-Star Game will be taking place at the RBC center at 4 p.m. Sunday.

This is the first time that the All-Star game will be hosted in North Carolina, said Kyle Prairie, the RBC ticket sales director.

The game attracts thousands of fans from all over the United States and Canada, bringing an economic boost to the host city.

In the past, top NHL players in the eastern conference were chosen to go head-to-head with the top players in the western conference.

But this year two All-Star captains will be choosing the teams out of all of the players selected for the game on Friday night.

North Carolina’s own Eric Staal is captain of “Team Staal” and Nicklas Lidstrom from the Detroit Red Wings will lead “Team Lidstrom.”

Every ticket has been sold for the game, Prairie said. The RBC stadium has an 18,730 person capacity.

“The most expensive ticket was $260 and it gains you entry into the Saturday night skills competition where all the All-Stars basically compete in a skills challenge and it includes the Sunday afternoon game,” he said.

About 15,000 people from North Carolina are estimated to attend the game, Prairie said.

Out of the 30 teams in the NHL, about 60 players have been chosen to play in the All-Stars weekend.

Four of the 60 players are Carolina Hurricanes players — Eric Staal, Jamie McBain, Cam Ward and Jeff Skinner.

Jeff Skinner, who is 18 years old, will be the youngest player in history to play in an All-Star game.

Derrick Lund, a defenseman for the UNC ice hockey team, will be attending both the skills competition and the game.

Lund said that for now he will be cheering for Team Staal.

“However, if Team Lidstrom can get both Carolina goalie Cam Ward and rookie phenom Jeff Skinner, my allegiances are going to be torn,” he said.

In addition to the game, events will be going on all weekend including a concert by 3 Doors Down and an acrobatic show.

Fashion shows, eating contests, NHL autograph sessions and more events are also expected to take place.

Kohl Schultz, another defenseman of the UNC ice hockey team, said he plans to attend the skills competition and the Sunday game.

Schultz won free tickets from RBC for referring a friend to the bank.

He said he is most excited about the shoot-out contest and watching Dustin Byfuglien of the Atlanta Thrashers, whom he had the opportunity to meet in person, play at the game.

Richard Strakosch, goalie of the UNC ice hockey team, is attending the skills competition on Saturday with family members.

“All eyes of the hockey playing world will be in our backyard this weekend, which is kind of exciting,” he said.

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