Was it just me, or was the Stadium Series game kind of a "meh"?
There were definitely great things about it, but also some flaws
A loss to Tampa wasn't an unexpected result. They are, as a reminder, really good. Their fans came in a surprising number too, although we’re no strangers to a large visiting prescence in Nissan Stadium. I don't know about you guys, but I was filled with anticipation for this game. It was the outdoor game this city has waited for, and which it no doubt deserved. However, there were some elements of it in the end that made it feel a bit forced - too much like a production.
Country Music
Ok. I get it. Nashville is Music City. It's a great way to attract tourists, and I'm not against the moniker. However, the game leaned way to much into the whole country music thing. Almost every moment when hockey was not being played was filled with country music. It was nonstop. Sure, there were probably many who enjoyed the songs and artists, but I think even they would admit that it was too much. To be honest, the artist that energized the crowd the most was Ajay Popoff, whose injection of energy was followed by a second goal. Music is not something I want to criticize Music City about, but it's true - the music was too much.
Ignoring Traditions
A lot of this is due to the fact that this was an NHL production, not a Predators one, but it felt a bit awkward the whole game. After the first goal, we couldn't do our goalie chant, but that was due to a fight. The second time, however, was the fault of whoever was running the music. The goal was announced during a stoppage of play, and normally, the music would stay off - but it didn't, denying the crowd an opportunity to taunt the goalie in unison. The goal song, too, ignored tradition. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this was the first Preds home game where Tim McGraw didn't sing “I Like It, I Love It” after a goal, with the production instead opting for a live rendition. “Gold on the Ceiling” was also absent, but the crowd still chanted as loud as ever. This isn't to bash decisions made, it's only to highlight how some traditions of Predators games were overlooked.
As it turns out, Nissan Stadium is big
Bridgestone Arena is one of the smaller barns in the league. Some might view this as a downside, but for Nashville, it's a strength. A chant started anywhere around the arena has a good chance of catching on, leading the whole crowd to chant in unison. With a stadium around four times as big as Bridgestone, it made chants harder to breakout. The only moments where chants really caught on was with Gnash drumming, or after a goal. It meant that much of the energy that is usually present at a Preds game was absent. Maybe we needed the Backline to help lead the chants, but nevertheless, there seemed to be a noticeable lack of energy.
These things being said, it was a great night. It was cool to see Nissan filled to the brim with gold (and blue), and by the way, those jerseys looked pretty good.