Canes fans pride themselves on being the loudest fanbase in the NHL. We aren't doubting that one bit, but we did want to put it to the test.

Now, I've been a hockey fan as long as I can remember. There are two games that stand out, in terms of how loud it got:

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1. When Alexei Kovalev scored an OT winner for the Rangers against the Canadiens in 1997 at Madison Square Garden.

2. Playoff hockey in the Lenovo Center, when the Canes hosted the aforementioned Rangers.

Playoff hockey is just different, and Canes fans know it.

I saw a few parents walking around, carefully placing headphones on their babies' little ears to protect them from the noise.

Pre-game shenanigans

I took a noise meter into the Lenovo Center, and took note of some loud moments before the puck even dropped.

The opening siren solicitied a crowd reaction that reached 106.6 dB. The end of the National Anthem took it up a notch to 107.7 dB, and the opening faceoff eclipsed 110 dB.

Pre-game noise levels for Game 3 vs. Washington
Pre-game noise levels for Game 3 vs. Washington

According to the American Academy of Audiology, a noise level of 110 dB is equivalent to a rock concert or a car horn.

You know, however, that the first period wasn't one that garnered a whole lot of noise.

Second period noise!

Coach Rod Brind'Amour made note, however, of how the momentum shifted once Andrei Svechnikov netted the game's first goal. The noise meter got to its highest level all game, reaching 113.2 dB!

The rest of the period tested the limits of Caniacs' ear drums. Some high moments were (of course) when fans yelled, "Cheaters Never Win!," Roslovic's goal and booing public enemy #1, Tom Wilson.

Loudest moments in the 2nd period of Game 3 vs. Washington
Loudest moments in the 2nd period of Game 3 vs. Washington

So, are we really the loudest?!

How does what we found compare to other arenas in the NHL?

This kind of data is hard to find. One blog, called Bosshorn, claims that Montreal's Bell Centre has gotten above 120 dB. It also says that Vegas has hit 115 dB.

Noisiest NHL arenas, according to Bosshorn and our reading from Game 3 vs. Washington
Noisiest NHL arenas, according to Bosshorn and our reading from Game 3 vs. Washington

Montreal is cheering from the sideline, while Vegas is trying to stake a comeback against the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference.

Of course, one blog and one game is not enough to say "the Lenovo Center is only the third-loudest in the NHL."

So, we'll just keep tooting our own horn (or siren) and cheering on the Canes on their road to the Stanley Cup!

If you're attending Game 4 Monday vs. the Washington Capitals, send us your photos and videos from the loudest house in the NHL via ReportIt!