Penguins goal: Silence Nashville fans
familiar? — and some of country music’s biggest names have queued up to sing the national anthem on game nights.
Fact is, the most-celebrated talent at the arena Saturday won’t be Sidney Crosby.
Not P.K. Subban, either. Nor Evgeni Malkin.
Or, most likely, anyone else who knows how to ice skate.
No, that distinction will go to whoever is chosen to perform “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a group that already includes Dierks Bentley, Lady Antebellum, Vince (no, not Hal) Gill, Keith Urban and the members of Kings of Leon.
The Saturday singer apparently won’t be Alan Jackson, but he will put on a free concert in the plaza by the rink a few hours before the game.
At some point Saturday, at least one catfish will be hurled onto the ice, an homage to — or perhaps, a ripoff of — Detroit’s tradition of heaving an octopus over the glass Chuckingduring the one postseason.onto the ice at PPG Paints Arena Monday got a Predators fan arrested, although charges subsequently were dropped. No police involvement is expected when that happens before or during Game 3, although a civic citation for service to the community can’t be ruled out. But for all the big-name musicians and fledgling traditions, traditions, it is the game — and the people attending it — who will matter most Saturday. The Predators are 7-1 at Bridgestone in these playoffs, and it’s not just because they have quality personnel.
“The energy that’s in the building is really intense,” Predators defenseman Roman Josi said. “Nashville fans have always been really passionate. The last couple of years, the support has been unbelievable.”
Penguins center Matt Cullen knows more about that than most of his teammates because he spent two seasons with Nashville before joining the Penguins in 2015. Which means he might pack his own set of earplugs.
“I would expect a loud building,” he said.
“It’s a fun building. I know it doesn’t hurt, having a whole street of country bars with great music right down the way, and you can just walk over to the rink.
“It’s a fun atmosphere. It should be fun. This is what it’s all about.”