"The league made the announcement on Friday so fans had a good amount of warning. Still the upcoming storm was enough for many fans to stay home. Pictures of the Pekka Rinne statue outside the arena covered with snow were posted on X. So few fans showed up the arena announced on their jumbotron that all fans, regardless of where their purchased tickets were, could move to sit in the lower bowl."
"The announced attendance came out to just over 6,000 fans. That's just over a third of the arena's announced ice hockey capacity of 17,113 and the Predators have been pretty much filling to capacity all season. Seeing the images of a more than half empty Bridgestone Arena reminded us on a game that lives in NHL legend. We're talking about the "334 Club"."
"The "334 Club" refers to the 334 brave souls who bared eight inches of snow to watch the Calgary Flames take on the New Jersey Devils on January 22, 1987. The visiting Flames had made it to the arena, the old Brendan Byrne arena in the Meadowlands, in time so the league said if enough Devils players and NHL officials show up the game will go on. With 105 minute delay the puck was dropped and the Devils skated off with a 7-5 win."
A major winter storm affected much of the United States, prompting postponements and schedule adjustments for many college and professional sporting events. The Nashville Predators home game against the Utah Mammoth at Bridgestone Arena moved from 2:30 p.m. CT to 12:30 p.m. CT with a Friday announcement. Snow and travel concerns kept many fans away; images showed the Pekka Rinne statue covered in snow. The arena consolidated seating to the lower bowl, reduced open concessions due to staffing issues, and offered 50% discounts on select items. Attendance totaled just over 6,000—about one-third of the 17,113 capacity—and evoked the NHL '334 Club' legend from 1987.
Read at Puck Prose
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