With the playoffs just around the corner, it's time to cut the jokes and get serious. Thus,Carolina Hurricanes' captain Justin Williams delivered the sobering news that Wednesday night's game against the Capitals would be the team's final "Storm Surge" of the Sandy Alcantara Jersey season.

Regardle s of the outcome tonight, this will be our last storm surge of the season. It has been an absolute treat celebrating victories with our fans and muddying up the waters a little bit. Weve created a buzz again in Carolina but we know ultimately weve done that

Justin Williams (@JustinWilliams)

The planned celebrations brought attention and notoriety to a team on the edge of relevancy, looking to end a nine-year playoff drought. A negative endorsement from Hockey Night in Canada's Don Cherry upgraded the new tradition frompost-game antics to a full-blown phenomenon.

Theyre a bunch of jerks Martin Prado Jersey . - Don Cherry ripped the Hurricanes for their postgame celebrations.

Brad Galli (@BradGalli)

Cherry's criticism inspired the Canes to go bigger and more creative with each home victory. From Evander Holyfield cameos to games of Harry Potter reenactments, here are some of the best and most memorable surges from the year.

Honorable Mention: The OG (Oct. 5)

This team knows how to have fun

Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes)

The trend started on the night of Carolina's third home win of the season. Beginning with the "Skol" clap, the quinte sential start to every surge, there's no way anyone on the team envisioned jumping into the boards to celebrate a victory would evolve into such a grand spectacle. It'sprobably for the best the team graduated to more creative and mostly safer ideas because it was only a matter of time until someone slipped and ended their season.

5. Duck Hunt (March 19)

Duck Hunt Storm Surge!

Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes)

References to video games not named "Fortnite" are seldom made in 2019 so for the Canes to reference a game from the '80s is very refreshing.The only way this could have been better was Sergio Romo Jersey if it were done after a win over Anaheim.

4. Duck, Duck, Goose (Feb.1)

Come for the action, stay for the postgame Duck Duck Goose

Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes)

Unfortunately, this celebration was also not used after beating Anaheim. However, it was still one of the team's best ideas, which was made even better by the play-by-play announcer's inability to recognize one of the most cla sic childhood games.

3. How do you like us now, Mr. Caleb Smith Jersey Cherry? (Feb. 26)

In case you forgot...

Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes)

Carolina took the first chance it was given to respond to Cherry and on this night elevated the surge from a tradition to a phenomenon. The team clapped back in the most appropriate of ways by completely leaning into Cherry's comments and spinning them into a ma sive marketing ploy. Brilliant.

2. Shooters Shoot (March 24)

In case you forgot...

Carolina Hurricanes (@NHLCanes)

Recreating other sports is a recurring theme for the surge and almost none were better than when they took to the hardwood (hard-ice). Props make basically any celebration better (cc. NFL) so wheeling out the basketball hoop was a great touch, but the cherry on topwas thebeautiful and fundamentally sound pick set by Calvin de Haan. He did the best he could to keep his feet set despite wearing ice skates created a wide open lane for Trevor van Riemsdyk.

1. Down Goes Martinook! (March Brad Ziegler Jersey 1)

This is the real deal!WATCH |

FOX Sports Carolinas (@CanesOnFSCR)

Props: Good. Guest appearances from a heavyweight boxing champion: Better. This was the Jeff Locke Jersey Hurricanes best idea, best execution anda great example of the showmen they have become. Holyfield's introduction was epic, but Jordan Martinook stole the show with how hard he sold the knockout.

With the "Storm Surges" ceasing, it is important to appreciate its inaugural season because there's no guarantee they will come back. As the players adjust their focusto the postseason, it's probably best that Canesfans do the same. With the team set to reach the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade, they shouldn't need anything else to get themselves pumped.