Smash cars and catfish: What Nashville has in store for the Vancouver Canucks
After dropping Game 2 at home on Tuesday, the Vancouver Canucks are now in Nashville for Games 3 and 4 of their first-round matchup against the Predators. And fans there are gearing up for a unique playoff tradition that gives new meaning to Bridgestone Arena’s nickname: Smashville.
At the start of every playoff round, Preds fans take sledgehammers to a car decked out in the opposing teams name and colours. And the Canucks car is now outside the arena, ready to be smashed before Friday’s game.
“I’m curious how beat up it will be,” said Harman Dayal, a Canucks reporter with The Athletic who is in Nashville to cover Games 3 and 4.
“That’s part of the fun of playoff hockey, right? Every fan base, every team has its own traditions.”
Predators fans are also known to throw catfish on the ice during playoff games, and they relentlessly taunt visiting netminders with deafening chants after every Nashville goal.
“I covered a game in the regular season between Vancouver and Nashville in December, and I can tell you that Bridgestone Arena is absolutely rocking,” said Dayal. “You don’t typically think of Nashville as one of the pure hockey markets in the NHL. But those fans are passionate, they are loud, and it’s going to be a hostile, intimidating environment for the Canucks.”
The Canucks will have to face the Predators without number one goalie Thatcher Demko, who made the trip to Nashville but will not suit up. Backup Casey DeSmith will be between the pipes, like he was for Game 2.
“DeSmith spoke after practice about how helpful it is just for him to still have Demko’s support, and how close they have been,” said Dayal.
“I think Demmer coming on the trip – and he’s doing this thing in therapy and stuff – but I think it’s important he’s around," said Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet.
"And Demmer wants to be around, so I think that really helps.”
The Canucks will have Tyler Myers back in the lineup Friday. The defencemen missed Game 2 with the flu. He skated with the team during Thursday’s practice in Nashville, where the focus was on getting pucks through the persistent Predators screen.
“Sometimes it just comes down to will and hunger to the get the puck to the net,” said Myers.
“I just thought Nashville’s will to defend was better than our will to score, let’s face it,” said Tocchet. “I think there is position and plays there, but it’s really a will.”
The Canucks will have some fan support in Nashville.
“We landed here Wednesday night and our cab driver was asking me if Canadians have this week off, because he has heard of a lot of people from Vancouver coming in,” said Dayal.
But mostly, Bridgestone Arena will be full of pumped-up Predators fans, fresh off smashing a car, and looking for more Canucks destruction on the ice.
“It’s one to one, it’s two evenly matched teams,” said Tocchet. “It’s going to be an exciting game, and we have got to embrace the excitement.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump threatens to try to take back the Panama Canal. Panama's president balks at the suggestion
Donald Trump suggested Sunday that his new administration could try to regain control of the Panama Canal that the United States “foolishly” ceded to its Central American ally, contending that shippers are charged “ridiculous” fees to pass through the vital transportation channel linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Wrongfully convicted N.B. man has mixed feelings since exoneration
Robert Mailman, 76, was exonerated on Jan. 4 of a 1983 murder for which he and his friend Walter Gillespie served lengthy prison terms.
opinion Christmas movies for people who don't like Christmas movies
The holidays can bring up a whole gamut of emotions, not just love and goodwill. So CTV film critic Richard Crouse offers up a list of Christmas movies for people who might not enjoy traditional Christmas movies.
Can the Governor General do what Pierre Poilievre is asking? This expert says no
A historically difficult week for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his Liberal government ended with a renewed push from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre to topple this government – this time in the form a letter to the Governor General.
New York City police investigate death of woman found on fire in subway car
New York City Police on Sunday were seeking a man they believe is connected to the early morning death of a woman who was sleeping on a stationary subway train before she was intentionally lit on fire.
More than 7,000 Jeep SUVs recalled in Canada over camera display concern
A software issue potentially affecting the rearview camera display in select Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Cherokee models has prompted a recall of more than 7,000 vehicles.
'I'm still thinking pinch me': lost puppy reunited with family after five years
After almost five years of searching and never giving up hope, the Tuffin family received the best Christmas gift they could have hoped for: being reunited with their long-lost puppy.
10 hospitalized after suspected carbon monoxide poisoning in Ottawa's east end
The Ottawa Police Service says ten people were taken to hospital, with one of them in life-threatening condition, after being exposed to suspected carbon monoxide in the neighbourhood of Vanier on Sunday morning.
Pickup truck driver killed by police after driving through Texas mall and injuring 5
A pickup truck driver fleeing police careened through the doors of a JCPenney store in Texas and continued through a busy mall, injuring five people before he was fatally shot by officers, authorities said.