"I had played in some arenas at playoff time or big games, and maybe things are getting a little bit crazy, but that was a whole new animal," Smithson said of the Nashville crowd in 2011. "And for us to have that opportunity on our home ice to finish off the series was awesome. You want to take advantage of that opportunity, and I try to explain to people, because they didn't really understand until the Preds made it to the Final. People would say, 'Wow, Nashville, what a place to play,' and I'm saying, 'It's been like that all along, maybe not to that level where they're partying in the streets, but the fans are passionate and crazy and they love their hockey.' It was great to see them make that run to the Final, because it really kind of cemented that as a hockey town now."