The Predators sit atop the Central Division, three points ahead of the Blackhawks Jersey with three games in hand.
The Predators claim the second spot in the Western Conference with 65 points, second-best in the NHL as the league resumes play after the All-Star Game.
The Predators are chasing the Ducks and outracing the Blues, and they are obsessed with the Hawks.
The Predators don’t play the Hawks again this season, at least not in the regular season, but they already are obsessed with the Hawks for next season.
Specifically, they are obsessed with Hawks fans. They are obsessed with keeping them out of their rink, if not the state and above the Mason-Dixon Line altogether.
The Predators have lost two games at home this season. That’s the fewest home losses in the league this season. But one of those losses came came against the Blackhawks, and the Predators are apoplectic. Still.
Congratulations, Hawks fans. You travel so well and beat the Predators ticket-selling game that Nashville management and players felt they lost home-ice advantage that night.
And remember, that was a night on which the Predators played “God Bless America’’ instead of the “Star-Spangled Banner’’ because of Hawks fans’ tradition of cheering during the national anthem. patrick kane jersey.
And now, get a load of this paragraph from an email the Predators recently sent to season-ticket holders in “Smashville,’’ which is what they call Nashville, because it’s a cute name, I guess:
“Given our successes on and off the ice, Smashville is experiencing an unacceptable number of opposing team fans for certain marquee games at Bridgestone Arena disrupting the home ice advantage that the 7th Man provides. From ownership on down, we find this unsatisfactory and are committed to having a sea of gold in our building to continuously prove to Central Division opponents, and the rest of the NHL, that the Predators will always have home ice advantage in Smashville.’’
The email also detailed possible tougher restrictions for buying and reselling tickets next season that would make it harder for Hawks fans. This also goes for a number of traveling Blues and Red Wings fans, but mostly Hawks fans.
The Predators are obsessed with the Hawks. Did I mention that?
Seems to me, if the Predators indeed had the best home-ice advantage in the NHL the way their email claims, then they wouldn’t have to worry about opposing fans invading.
It also seems to me that first-place teams should act like it.
The Predators, you might recall, tried to stamp out Hawks fans a couple summers ago. Before the 2013 season, if you wanted a ticket to a Hawks game in Nashville, you had to buy a ticket to a second game. jonathan toews Jersey.
But the Predators didn’t stop there. They would allow Hawks-plus-one presale only if the potential purchaser was associated with a local zip code.
It was part of the Predators’ “Keep The Red Out’’ campaign, and it was reminiscent of the White Sox’s plan to cross Cubs fans years ago. After Cubs fans took over The Cell during interleague play, the Sox allowed fans to purchase tickets to Cubs games only if they purchased tickets to three other games. The plan didn’t last long.
The Predators, though, bless 'em, they keep trying to block Hawks fans. After starting with original ticket sales, they’re expanding to whatever part of the resale market they can control.
Soon, the Predators will mobilize the U.S. Border Patrol, and if Hawks fans still find ways to barge back into Bridgestone Arena, I believe the Predators will hold their breath until they turn blue.
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