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Predators fan sends catfish to NHL after disallowed goal

2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final - Game Three

NASHVILLE, TN - JUNE 03: A catfish is seen on the ice prior to Game Three of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Nashville Predators at the Bridgestone Arena on June 3, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

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The latest goalie interference call that had a lot of people up in arms came earlier this week when the Nashville Predators thought they had scored a game-tying goal in the closing seconds against the Florida Panthers. The goal would have sent the game to overtime and at the very least helped the Predators get one point closer to the Central Division crown and their first ever Presidents’ Trophy.

Instead, a replay review of the goal resulted in the call being overturned after it was determined that Viktor Arvidsson had interfered with Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, allowing Filip Forsberg to put the puck in the net with less than a second to play.

This decision resulted in another round of criticism for the league’s goalie interference rules. That criticism was not just coming from players or coaches, either, as Carrie Underwood was “livid” and Kiefer Sutherland was Tweeting that the Predators were robbed.

Just another night in the NHL, you know?

Honestly, as far as the league’s controversial goaltender interference reviews have gone this season this one seemed to be at least pretty understandable as Arvidsson clearly used his stick to jam into Luongo’s pads and push him, knocking the puck loose.

Either way, the Predators and their fans were pretty angry about the whole thing and one fan by the name of Briley Meeks decided to send a message to the NHL by shipping a catfish to the league offices in Toronto.

Justin Bradford at Penalty Box radio had the story and you can read the whole thing here.

An excerpt:

“I went to Little’s Fish Company in Germantown because I knew they had catfish,” Meeks said. “I went there and bought two catfish. I called UPS asking if you can send fish through the mail. They knew what I was doing. So, I went down there and this man, the manager of the UPS Store, helped me. He said it would have to go through customs, and didn’t want me to spend all this money and it be returned. He called customs for me and made sure that it was okay that I send a dead catfish to a business. They said it was fine. We’re hoping it gets there.”

The total shipping cost for a dead catfish to Toronto: $134.50. “Worth every penny” according to Meeks.

What’s the message Meeks hopes the NHL gets with this package?

“I just want them to get it, open it and realize it stinks because what they did stinks to us,” Meeks said. “Maybe they’ll think about it harder before they go and rob people of a game.”


Predators fans have been throwing catfish on the ice at games -- usually during the playoffs -- since as far back as 2003, drawing inspiration from the Red Wings’ octopus tradition.

And now, apparently, there was one this week on the doorsteps at the NHL offices.

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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.