RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – Caniacs are ready for the stadium series against the Washington Capitals on Feb. 18.

After the outdoor game was delayed two years, the 53-foot trailer housing a giant refrigeration unit was finally parked outside Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh on Monday.

“We have two compressors that you see right here, and we have about 300 tons of refrigeration, so we definitely have enough capacity the build the outdoor rink,” Derek King said, the NHL Senior Director of Facilities & Hockey Operations.

But even with this powerful refrigerator, building an outdoor hockey rink in the crazy Raleigh weather is sure to have its challenges.

Despite that, King said they can handle it, it just takes planning.

“Our goal here now is to be ready by the 15th,” he said. “It’s obviously a big game for these teams, so a practice day for them is going to be a practice day for us to fine-tune how everything is working.”

Before they can make ice, they need a solid foundation.

Monday, after the trailer arrived, workers started laying down armor deck. Once that is finished, they will take days, and 20,000 liters of water, to “flood” the field.

“A lot of the ice-making will take place overnight,” King said. “We’ll cover the ice during the day, and there’s a lot of other things for us to do to get ready for the game. Then, once the sun’s off the field, we’ll uncover and make ice through the night.”

This is a big set-up for a big game, and everyone agrees: the effort is worth it.

“When they hear we’re going to do a game outdoors I think there’s a lot of excitement to it, and it’s a great stadium so it’s definitely going to be an exciting time for the game,” King said.

Bright sunshine can work to melt the ice, which is why they cover it during the day with a temperature-controlled cover. So, the fact that the Raleigh game is at 8 p.m. works in their favor, King said.

King confirmed crews made the ice about 2 inches thick to make sure everything is more sturdy. Normally, the surface of outdoor rinks is between 3/4-inch and 1 1/2 inches thick, but Raleigh’s weather uncertainty upped the thickness.

Rain is more of a complication, but officials say even if it rains, they’re confident they can refreeze the additional water or squeegee off any excess.

Kayla Morton contributed to this article.