The Cary Ice House parking lot on Saturday looked like ground zero for Caniac fever. Red flags stuck out from car doors like antennae and at least one van had "Let's Go Canes!" scrawled across the window.

Inside, where the State Games of North Carolina youth hockey tournament was under way, Caniacs abounded.

The Raleigh Storm and Raleigh Pirates took to the ice in preparation for their opening game in the Mites Division.

It was not surprising that the Storm would show off their Hurricanes pride; after all, Peter Laviolette, son of the Hurricanes head coach with the same name, is on their team.

The younger Laviolette could not play that morning, said Joe Marceno, team manager of the Storm. He added that the elder Laviolette is not too pushy with coaching advice, either.

This past year, the elder Laviolette was too busy with the Hurricanes on their march to the Stanley Cup finals to attend every youth hockey game, Marceno said.

"But the year of the lockout, he spent a lot of time with the kids," he said.

Although the Raleigh Pirates did not have a Laviolette, they still had Hurricanes spirit.

Bill Murch, a Pirates dad, said that you can see the Hurricanes' influence in the rink. The kids will watch the playoffs, he said, and come throw a body check.

"You have to remind them that this is a no-check league," he said.

Another Pirates dad, Tom Essery, a Canadian immigrant and one-time Edmonton Oilers fan, sported a Hurricanes hat and a playoff beard.

"I know several hockey dads with playoff beards," he said.

He added that all of his kids play hockey and that the Hurricanes have only stoked their interest. Playing hockey also helps the kids better understand the playoff games.

"My kids watch the games a little more intently now," he said.

On the ice, the action was intense. The Storm took a series of great shots that were quickly covered by Pirates goalie Codie Murch.

After two and a half periods with no scores, Nicholas Routhier of the Pirates snuck a shot into the net. With only a few minutes left, the Storm emptied their goal, but could not even up the score.

After the game, the only girl on the ice, Linda Essery, 8, of the Pirates, said she is watching the Hurricanes and that she loves hockey. "It's just really fun and hard," she said.

Pirates goalie Codie Murch, 9, said the Hurricanes have helped make him a better player.

"I think Cam Ward has been doing great in goal," he said of the Hurricanes keeper. "He's really teaching me a lot."