I was a Carolina Hurricanes hockey fan even before Chapman moved to NC State in Raleigh.

The team is run by former goalie, Detroit Red Wings executive and Beeton, Ontario, native, Jim Rutherford, who’s a few years younger than my parents but went to the same high school in Alliston, Ontario.

When Carolina unexpectedly won the Stanley Cup in 2006, I was hooked. Rutherford brought the Cup back to Beeton; Amy bought me a Carolina Hurricanes coffee mug at the Charlotte airport. I still use it every morning.

Chapman and family went to one of the playoff games this year – we could never do that in Toronto, even if they did magically make the playoffs (and that’s the future of their son, Jack, right, at a ‘Canes game).

So tonight, with 1:20 left and Carolina trailing 3-2, facing who many call the best goaltender in the game or ever – I’ll always defer to Tony Esposito of the Chicago Black Hawks — the ‘Canes pop in two goals to take the series.

I’ll miss film director Kevin Smith’s twitters of his beloved New Jersey Devils, and Kevin, don’t kill yourself.

Oh, and this has nothing to do with food safety. I just miss playing hockey.