Kicker: Hamilton the Pot-bellied Pig

NICK EICHER, HOST: Alright, I know we have a lot of animal stories and I’m really trying to cut back, but this animal story involves playoff hockey.

The Carolina Hurricanes play tonight, game three, Eastern Conference finals — for the right to play my St. Louis Blues, I hope, in the Stanley Cup final.

(My boys have their hands full, too, but that’s another story.)

The ’Canes have got to get back on track tonight, to avoid going down three-nothing in their series with the Boston Bruins. The good news for the ’Canes is they’re playing at home and their newly adopted mascot will be in the house.

AUDIO: You are absolutely adorable … (grunting noise)

Hamilton the Potbellied Pig, Ham, for short.

He’s considered undefeated as the unofficial playoff mascot. The hockey team changed the rules to allow Ham in the building, and when he is, the Carolina Hurricanes do not lose.

Ham better keep delivering victories, though. He’s living precariously in barbecue country.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

(Juli Leonard/The News & Observer via AP) In this April 25, 2019 photo, a pig named Hamilton resides in Raleigh, N.C., with Kyle Eckenrode, right, and fiancee Karoline Briggs; Australian shepherd Zé and eight chickens. 

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