Sooey! Pig named Hamilton bringing Hurricanes playoff luck

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Hurricanes have been rolling at home ever since their newly acquired grunter named Hamilton started hogging the corner.

Not defenseman Dougie Hamilton — Hamilton the pig.

The 90-pound Juliana potbelly who catches games from behind the boards in a personalized wagon has shown plenty of chops during his three-week run as the team's unofficial good-luck charm.

In the land of pulled pork barbecue, this pig pulls for the Hurricanes.

"He's like this little internet sensation that caught on," said his owner, Raleigh real estate broker Kyle Eckenrode. "People just love it when we bring him out. It's really crazy to watch it all unfold."

The Hurricanes can't argue with the results: Ever since Hamilton began hanging out in the area behind PNC Arena's corner boards — right along the players' path from the dressing room to the ice — earlier this postseason, they haven't lost with their prized pig in the building.

"I guess I'd never seen anything like it," well-traveled goalie Curtis McElhinney said.

On a whim, Eckenrode brought Hamilton — whose name is a play on "ham" — to the parking lot for Game 3 of the first-round series against Washington. He became so popular that the team invited him into the arena for the Game 6 victory over the Capitals, as well as Carolina's two home games in the second-round series with the Islanders.

And when the Eastern Conference final with Boston shifts to Raleigh for Game 3 on Tuesday night, Hamilton will be back in his customary spot amid hopes the Hurricanes can rally from two games down in the best-of-seven series.

He will make his rounds at the pregame tailgate parties that became a signature of this region during the team's run to the Stanley Cup in 2006. He'll fill up countless Instagram feeds...