The Nashville Predators trailed the Pittsburgh Penguins by three goals after one period in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final. Then, someone threw a catfish onto the ice, and everything changed.
Predators fans have been chucking catfish onto the playing surface since 2003 — a tradition similar to the Detroit Red Wings’ famous octopus toss. The fish typically only appear at Predators home games, but when Nashville visited Pittsburgh on Monday night, one brave Preds fan managed to sneak one into PPG Paints Arena.
With the Penguins up big early in the second period, he let it fly — and promptly was ejected from the premises.
dinner time pic.twitter.com/HDgyYWHwtE
— steph (@myregularface) May 30, 2017
So this dude just got kicked out of Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Final for throwing a catfish on the ice. pic.twitter.com/DzLK6l1Mv5
— Cristiano Simonetta (@CMS_74_) May 30, 2017
Country music star Carrie Underwood — who was in attendance supporting her husband, Predators captain Mike Fisher — loved the fan’s attempt to spark a Nashville rally.
My hero… 💙💛💙💛 https://t.co/2sW9P7mrOg
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) May 30, 2017
And for a while, it seemed to have worked. The Predators reeled off three consecutive goals during the second and third periods while holding the Penguins without a shot on goal for 37 (!) straight minutes.
Nashville’s good fortune eventually ran out, however. Jake Guentzel scored with 3:17 remaining in regulation to put Pittsburgh back ahead, and Nick Bonino added an empty-netter to seal the win for the home team.
The Predators will look to pull even in the best-of-seven series Wednesday night in Game 2.
Thumbnail photo via Christopher Hanewinckel/USA TODAY Sports Images
