The epic tailgates. The car flags flying. The fans at the airport in the middle of the night. And the noise. Oh, man, that noise.
Perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the past 10 years has been seeing players come, play here, and go, without ever experiencing the Stanley Cup Playoffs in North Carolina. We'd tell them what it was like. They'd listen and smile and nod. But they never really understood, because they never got to experience them.
The same is true for so many of our fans. Veteran Caniacs can explain to newer or younger fans how different the playoffs are than the regular season. But you don't really and truly know until you're leaving the arena on Edwards Mill Road, your voice long gone and your ears still ringing.