Gaylord Entertainment Center - Nashville Predators

Trip Notes: T and I headed down to Nashville for the weekend. After our shuttle dropped us off at the luxurious Best Western hotel on Music Row we headed downtown to find a place to eat dinner. After about a 20 minute walk we made it to the happenin’ area. We walked by many bars that had live bands. As we walked by one of them we noticed a band sitting in the window. The guitarist waved us down and tried to get us to come in. Though he was an attractive guy in a band, we chose food over his offer. We were starving. ;) We came across a brewery that looked like it could be a good place to eat dinner...the Big River Brewery. They had great food. As it turned out, our waiter graduated from Green Mtn High. Small world. After stuffing our faces, we went back to the hotel for a quick cat nap before we headed out for the night life. We ended up at a cozy little pub a bit later...Dan McGuiness’ Irish Pub up near music row. Great Guinness. CU FB played the next afternoon so we headed over to a sports bar close to the hotel where we ate at watched the game. Headed to the Predators game that night. Before it started, we decided to check out the night life and enjoy a beer beforehand. Came across an Irish/Sports bar. A strange combo, but it turned out to be a pretty cool place. It was packed with people going to the game. After the game we headed down to 1st street to check it out. Our first stop was Coyote Ugly. I think we lasted about 2 minutes. Once we saw there was no beer on tap, we were out of there. Upstairs there was another bar, Buffalo Bills Bar or something along that line. They had beer on tap and lots of big screens so we stayed. Met a couple Philly fans. After a few beers and the rain stop we headed back to the room. Headed out of town the next afternoon.

Arena Notes: Gaylord Entertainment Center is located in the heart of the city. Easy to get to by foot, not sure how easy it is to by car. The night life around it is one of the best of the nhl cities. During the day, it looks like a big satellite dish is sitting on top of the arena. At night it looks really cool all lit up. Our seats were on the 3rd level in the corner. Good seats overall. The fans were pretty loud. I was impressed with the turnout. The arena was close to full. They were all into the game and even had lots of cheers to keep the fans in the game. A Tim McGraw clip is played after every Predators goal. The Gaylord Entertainment center opened its doors in 1996 and holds 17,500 hockey fans. Their mascot is Gnash. The only retired number is league wide, Wayne Gretzky #99.

Game Notes: The Nashville Predators' vast experience this season with close games and shootouts paid dividends again, this time against the novice Philadelphia Flyers.
Paul Kariya had a goal and an assist in regulation and then teamed with Steve Sullivan for a pair of shootout goals to give the Predators a 4-3 win over the Flyers.
It was the first time the Predators had beaten the Flyers in Nashville and marked the 200th victory in the history of the franchise. Nashville improved to 4-1 in shootouts while the Flyers lost their first.
"We were a little rusty not having been in a shootout," Philadelphia goalie Antero Niittymaki said. "I was just late on Kariya's goal. He always does the same thing. He cuts across a bit, then you just have to hope you're quick enough to save it."
Sullivan beat Niittymaki with a shot between his pads. Kariya decided to go high for his winner.
"Sullivan and Kariya are very dynamic players," Predators coach Barry Trotz said. "He is a cerebral type of player. Kariya really studies the goaltenders. He has such a smooth, quick release. When you watch him and he lets the puck go you don't even know he is shooting it. He's an artist."
Tomas Vokoun turned aside Philadelphia shooters Mike Knuble and Simon Gagne in the tiebreaker to give the Predators the milestone victory in their seventh NHL season. Vokoun stopped 30 real shots as the Predators won for the eighth time in nine home games.
"We are very fortunate that we are finding ways to win," Trotz said. "We aren't winning by big margins. That is a sign of maturity."
The Flyers took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 9:24 of the first period. With a crowd of players battling for the puck in the right circle, Michal Handzus found Knuble alone in the left circle. Knuble fired a wrist shot that beat Vokoun, who was watching the other side of the ice.
Just 20 seconds later, the Predators tied it when Kariya scored from the middle of the slot on a wrist shot that beat Niittymaki to his glove side.
The Flyers regained the lead at 8:04 of the second period. Philadelphia defenseman Derian Hatcher took a shot from a few feet inside the blue line that was deflected in by Mike Richards at the front of the crease.
Martin Erat tied it 2-2 at 13:30. Kariya passed the puck to Erat, who moved it from his skate to his stick and skated down the slot to beat Niittymaki.
Yanic Perreault gave Nashville its first lead with a power-play goal later in the period. Ryan Suter took control of the puck at the top of the slot and passed it to Perreault, who put a wrist shot over Niittymaki's left shoulder at 17:39.
The Flyers tied it 3-3 with a little over two minutes left in regulation. Hatcher blasted a slap shot from high in the slot that beat Vokoun.
"I didn't even notice their team," Philadelphia coach Ken Hitchcock said. "We played great. I was really impressed with our effort. I think we played a heck of a hockey game."
More Game notes: It was the first interconference game for both teams. ... Nashville has scored at least one power-play goal in 10 straight games. Nashville's Kimmo Timonen missed the game with the flu. Kevin Klein was recalled from AHL Milwaukee and made his NHL debut. Ben Eager was in the Flyers lineup after being recalled earlier in the day from the AHL's Philadelphia Phantoms.
(*Game notes taken from espn.com*)