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Missed Concert Spurred Winning Streak for Predators Forward

The Nashville Predators responded to the revoking of a U2 concert with one of the best streaks in franchise history.

Nick Horwat

Ryan O'Reilly Opened up about how a missed U2 concert spurred the Nashville Predators into one of the hottest streaks the organization has ever seen.
Ryan O'Reilly Opened up about how a missed U2 concert spurred the Nashville Predators into one of the hottest streaks the organization has ever seen. / Bob Frid-USA TODAY Sports, Ken Ruinard / staff via Imagn Content
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Coming out of the 2024 All-Star break, the Nashville Predators went on one of the most impressive winning streaks of the 2023-24 NHL season. A 16-0-2 run helped not only push the Predators up the standings but into the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Predators may have lost in the opening round to the Vancouver Canucks, but the revoking of a team-bonding experience spurred on their impressive streak.

Before starting the streak, the Predators team planned to attend a U2 concert at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Some of the pictures and videos from those U2 shows looked like something out of this world and certainly something the Predators were looking forward to.

They never got the chance to go, however, because a bad 9-2 loss to the Dallas Stars forced management to pull the plug on the show. The Predators went on their streak, which included a 5-3 win over the Vegas Golden Knights around when they would have gone to the show.

Predators forward Ryan O’Reilly joined TSN’s OverDrive and opened up about the winning streak and the missed show.

“That was obviously a very disappointing experience for all of us,” O’Reilly said. “We were all pumped to see that show. It was a little heartbreaking. We responded the right way.”

The 16-0-2 streak was one of the longest streaks of the NHL season, rivaled only by the 16-game winning streak, nearly toppling the all-time record.

“Hockey is a business, and the business is winning,” O’Reilly said. “And when you don’t do that, you don’t get rewarded.”

While seeing U2 at the Sphere may have been a great experience for the team, O’Reilly says he’d much rather see success on the ice.

“It is more fun winning,” O’Reilly said. “I’d take having success and winning a few games than going to see a concert any day.”

The Predators won’t be back in Las Vegas until April 12, 2025, their final road game of the 2024-25 season. At the moment, the Sphere does not have a show scheduled around that time. If something gets put on the ledger, will the Predators try and make a night of it?

“Hopefully, this year, we’ll be in a much different position that Trotzy and Bruno will let us have a little more fun.”

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Nick Horwat
NICK HORWAT

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