Nashville Predators' Ryan McDonagh says Bridgestone Arena is tough on opponents

Though he hasn't played a game yet for the Nashville Predators, defenseman Ryan McDonagh knows just how much of a role the Bridgestone Arena crowd plays in the Predators' success — and in their opponents' downfalls. 

McDonagh, traded to Nashville from Tampa Bay on July 3, can count on two hands how many times he's played at Bridgestone in his 12-year NHL career, but every time, the crowd has left an impression. 

"When that crowd gets going, it's definitely one of the toughest buildings to come in to play," McDonagh said Thursday. 

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With Bridgestone Arena's location in the heart of downtown, fans stream in through the front doors straight off of Broadway. By the time they find their seats, they're already buzzing on country music, beer and the energy of the hordes fans around them. 

With all that energy coming from fans dressed in gold, opponents have to be at the top of their game.

"You know it's going to be a rowdy crowd in the arena — a raucous crowd," McDonagh said. "If you're not on your game, the fans can take over momentum and just roll with it."

Emma Healy is a sports reporting intern for The Tennessean. Contact her at ehealy@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @_EmmaHealy_.