RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – When Mike Commodore unbuckles his helmet, stand clear!

The Carolina Hurricanes’ defenseman unleashes a mop of curly, red hair that hasn’t been under the care of a barber in months. He lets loose a thick, matching beard that should be tended to with a pair of scissors, a sharp razor and perhaps a weed whacker.

So, is Commodore trying out for the part of Eric the Red at the local theater? Is he a mimicking fan of Sideshow Bob, that long-haired cartoon villain from “The Simpsons?” Is he trying to bring back the Woodstock look?

None of the above.

Commodore is simply taking that most treasured hockey tradition – the playoff beard – to the extreme. He’s got plenty of scruffy company.

Most of his Carolina teammates put aside their razors at the start of the postseason, almost two long months ago. Ditto for the Edmonton Oilers, who joined the Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup finals with only a handful of clean-shaven players.

“It’s tradition,” said Carolina defenseman Aaron Ward, dutifully adorned with a full beard. “I honestly don’t know how or why it started.”

The bearded look has become as much a part of the NHL playoffs as those ceremonial handshakes at the end of each series. Everyone gets in on the act, growing all manner of facial hair in an effort to spur on some sort of good fortune. There’s even a Web site, www.playoffbeard.com, which hands out a symbolic Norris Trophy for the best-looking facial growth of the postseason.

(FYI, this is not to be confused with the award that goes to the league’s best defenseman. The Web site’s award is named for actor Chuck Norris, “The Patron Saint of Facial Hair.”)

Some of the favorites:

-Carolina defenseman Bret Hedican, who “came out of nowhere in this series.” Gets props as “the playoff beard to beat.”

-Edmonton left winger Sergei Samsonov, drawing comparisons to caveman Cha-Ka from the 1970s children’s show “Land of the Lost.”

-Hurricanes center Doug Weight, getting extra points for looking especially ominous with a black eye that is fading to brown. “All he needs is a mug and a street corner and his look will be complete,” the Web site says.

-Oilers left winger Raffi Torres, who “wins the award for trying to look like a 1960’s G.I. Joe action figure. That red beard is awesome!”

Curiously, Commodore didn’t make the list, but no one gets so much out of doing so little. At the start of the regular season, he stops cutting his hair and swears off shaving, getting a big headstart on all those other playoff beards.

“I haven’t touched it all season,” Commodore said proudly, sitting at his locker after Wednesday’s morning skate. “And here’s where we’re at.”

His hair curls out several inches in every possible direction. Forget trying to get a comb through it. His mouth is largely obscured by an out-of-control beard. He’ll probably need an entire can of shaving cream for his end-of-the-season shearing.

“Oh yeah, it’s nice when I get to shave – especially when it’s hot out,” Commodore said. “It seems like the temperature drops 10 degrees.”

Not that he’s about to change his routine.

Two years ago – the last season before the lockout – Commodore reached the Stanley Cup finals with the Calgary Flames. He made it two in a row after joining the Hurricanes.

“When I grew up watching the playoffs on television, everyone had a beard,” he said. “I don’t know why, but most people seem to do it.”

By most accounts, the New York Islanders of the early 1980s are credited with starting the tradition, led by players such as Clark Gillies and Billy Smith. When they captured four straight Stanley Cups, just about everyone was sold on the power of NOT shaving – even though it only works for one team a year.

There are different version of the playoff beard. Just look at Edmonton, which has left winger Ryan Smyth (goatee), goalie Jussi Markkanen (a wisp of blond hair on his chin) and center Michael Peca (a full beard, but regularly trimmed).

Carolina’s 21-year-old star, Eric Staal, gets points for effort. He’s still a few years away from filling out his entire face, but he fell in line with most of his teammates by growing a beard for the playoffs.

Well, sort of a beard.

“Have you see Staalsy?” Ward quipped. “He’s got the worst.”

Some players just keep on shaving.

Hurricanes center Rod Brind’Amour still uses his razor every day. So does Carolina defenseman Brad Wesley, whose red hair and position is about all he has in common with Commodore.

On the Edmonton side, star defenseman Chris Pronger had plenty of small, red bumps on his upper neck before Wednesday’s game – the telltale sign of a guy who just trimmed up.

Asked why he didn’t grow a beard for the playoffs, Pronger replied, “I just don’t feel like it.”

And you know what? He sure looked a lot more comfortable than all those hairy guys.

AP-ES-06-14-06 1907EDT