The building is shaking.You hear people screaming.
You can’t hear yourself breathe, let alone think.
The pressure, suspense, anticipation: all building.
Where are you?
In Nashville, at a Predators’ playoff game, of course.
Yes, it’s that time again, where Nashville and Bridgestone Arena turn into a mad house filled with crazy fans whose sole desire is to cheer their home team on to a victory. And that includes Tech hockey fans Michael Figlio and Matthew Ashton, who can’t wait to get a chance to see the Preds win at home.
“Have you ever been to a playoff hockey game? The atmosphere is incredible,” said Ashton, a junior business major. “It gets you hype from the moment you step in the place until the moment you leave.
“I can imagine only a few ways I’d rather spend a Sunday night.”
The Predators averaged just over 16,000 fans a game at Bridgestone arena this season. The location isn’t too far from Tech, as many students make the trip there and back in one night. Added to the relative low price of tickets, and Preds’ games are the perfect college student attraction.
“Of course I’m going to the [Preds’ home] game,” said Figlio, a senior at Tech. “I go during the regular season, and the playoffs make it even more exciting.
“With the defense we have, I could see us going to the [Stanley Cup] finals.”
The Predators do have a solid defense, ranking 3rd in goals against and 5th in penalty kills. The defense is led by captain defenseman Shea Weber, who also notched 48 points in the regular season. Weber scored in this year’s first playoff game, a 4-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
The Predators play in Anaheim Friday, looking to go up 2-0 in the series. They then come home to Nashville to play on Sunday, at 5 p.m.
Avid hockey fan and Tech senior Christine Seiber gave her take on the series.
“Watch out for Weber and [fellow defensemen Ryan] Suter, and you can’t beat Pekka Rinne,” she said.
“Preds in six.
