NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — SMASH, the Nashville Predator's Pup, and Tampa Bay Lightning's biggest fan, Holland the Pup, met at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Tuesday for a puppy, puck, playdate ahead of the NHL Stadium Series.
Holland the Pup and her human, Adam Vosding, have been traveling the continent following their Tampa Bay Lightning for the past three years.
"I'm like, ‘You know what? She's been to like five or six NHL arenas now.' So I'm like, 'How cool would it be to take her to every single NHL arena as we follow the Tampa Bay Lightning around?’ So we are have officially done I guess 12 today," said Vosding.
The pair document their travels on Holland's Instagram page.
"I'll just check the schedule," explained Vosding. "I got it mapped out, which you know, if there's an away game that will be close by and we can make it out there. We will try to swing by and I'll go to the game and she'll get some pictures outside of the arena and just cheer on our Bolts."
Holland's visit to Bridgestone Arena Tuesday was the first time she had ever been inside an NHL arena or on NHL ice.
SMASH, the Predator's pup joined the team in 2019 and makes appearances at games and out and about in Nashville.
"Whenever we're down by the locker room and the team always loves to hang out with them too because who doesn't love having a dog around?" said Kristen Finch, Nashville Predators Community Relations senior manager.
SMASH, like Holland, was adopted and toutsPetsmart's Preds Pet Club for Preds fans and encourages others to adopt dogs. He also has his own bobblehead with proceeds benefiting the Preds Foundation.
The playdate on the ice was deemed a success as both dogs sniffed out the competition ahead of the NHL Stadium Series set to take place Saturday, February 26 between their two teams at Nissan Stadium.
"A lot of teams have started picking up and getting new dogs. I think there are two or three new ones this season," explained Finch. "We've always joked that'd be fun if we could find a central location that all team dogs could get together but we were able to meet up with Bolt when he was in town, Tampa Bay's dog, earlier this year and then Holland here today, another fan that loves NHL. So any way we can help grow the sport even if it's — there's some dogs having fun."
Although Vosding hopes for a fierce game from his Bolts on Saturday, he said his mission with Holland has become spreading the love of the game.
"It's funny I've never really had like a goal going into this but like as we've been traveling, I feel like we're getting to see that, the really cool and friendly side of hockey like how hockey fans unite. We're all fans of sports, even though we're from different cities and stuff like that. So I really feel like it just is bringing fans together," explained Vosding. "A positive spin on today's crazy world and kind of uniting us as a country and a continent."
