Take warning: Sandhills Canes fans thick with loyalty, excitement
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final has people talking all over North Carolina, and the excitement can be felt across the Sandhills, where hockey loyalty runs deep, especially at Cheers Too Dive Bar on Raeford Road.
For the regulars at Cheers Too, supporting the Carolina Hurricanes isn't just a pastime; it's a way of life.
"People around here are buzzing about Canes. I go out wearing my Canes gear, and everybody's like, Go Canes!" said Greg Offenhauser, the bar's manager.
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Every inch of Cheers Too is decked out in Hurricanes red, white, and black. Offenhauser, a veteran, runs the bar with his wife, Gayle, who bought the establishment in 2001. Together, they've created a place that feels more like a family than a business.
"People just like, come in here. It's like a community bar. A lot of camaraderie," said Offenhauser.
The bar took its fandom to a new level in 2023, becoming an official Carolina Hurricanes bar.
"They sent us a bunch of swag for the Canes and stuff, you know, and, and so now we're doing watch parties, especially now for the Stanley Cup, trying to get more hockey awareness in this area," Offenhauser said.
The hockey fever isn't limited to Fayetteville. Terri Meyer, a superfan from Robeson County, has an entire wall and display dedicated to her love of the sport. For Meyer, hockey has been more than just a game.
"It really became a huge part of my life because I went through severe depression, and it was the first thing that I went to by myself, where I just had to get out of the house. And then I started going to games by myself, so it just became a big bonding thing for all of us," Meyer said.
Meyer, who lives in Parkton, is serious about her game day rituals.
"I don't wear the jersey during the game. I wear my earrings, and then that's about it," she said. And when the puck drops, she doesn't want any distractions.
"Nobody's allowed to call me during the game. Nothing. I will ignore them. They know," she said.
She's only been a Canes fan for four years, but has already attended more than 100 games. Meyer hopes to see more representation for women in hockey fandom.
"It doesn't matter if you're male, female, little kid. Anybody can love a sport, you know? And as much as I love it, I just want everybody to be like, Oh, you're a female. You like sports. Let's bring that cup home," she said.
Offenhauser, a Canes fan for 26 years, hopes to see the Stanley Cup return to North Carolina.
"I hope they pull it out because it would be nice to see the Cup come back home after 20 years," he said.
Win or lose, fans in the Sandhills are united in their support, proudly bleeding red, white, and black for their Hurricanes.
"Go Canes!"
