PITTSBURGH — The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins opened the Stanley Cup Final with a rather dull affair on Monday night in Game One. Despite eight total goals and a three goal comeback by the Preds, there were just 38 shots on goal in the contest with Pens going 37 minutes without one. There was, however, one thrilling moment: when a Predators fan threw a catfish onto the ice at PPG Paints Arena.
Catfish hurling as become a tradition in Nashville, inspired by the octopi tossing in Detroit at Red Wings games. But this fan, Jacob Waddell of Nolesville, Tennessee, reached new heights of turning sea creatures into nasty airborne projectiles.
dinner time pic.twitter.com/HDgyYWHwtE
— steph (@myregularface) May 30, 2017
During the Final, catfish have become a controlled substance in Western Pennsylvania, requiring an ID to buy them in some cases to prevent Tennessee residents from acquiring the fish. According to Pittsburgh police, Waddell got around that by buying the catfish in Tennessee, vacuum sealing it, shoving it in his compressions shorts before removing it from his pants and throwing it onto the ice. Waddell was immediately ejected from the game.
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
Now local authorities say Waddell has been charged with disorderly conduct, disrupting a meeting, and possessing instruments of a crime.
From the report: “[Throwing a fish] caused great annoyance and alarm, on many levels, of many patrons, players and officials in attendance.”
— Sean Gentille (@seangentille) May 30, 2017
Preds fans came to his defense after the incident. Local Nashville resident Carrie Underwood, who also happens to be a country music superstar married to Predators captain Mike Fisher, hailed Waddell as humanity’s last, best hope.
My hero… 💙💛💙💛 https://t.co/2sW9P7mrOg
— Carrie Underwood (@carrieunderwood) May 30, 2017
Headline photo: 93.7 The Fan
