Country Stars Plug Predators

Imagine Garth Brooks at a hockey game. Wouldn’t be too difficult to spot him in that cowboy hat.

Nashville Predators majority owner Craig Leipold isn’t a big country music fan. A year from now, he may change his tune.

First, his expansion franchise must reach 12,000 in season tickets sold by March 31. If the team doesn’t, Leipold could forfeit his $10-million deposit and his franchise.

Leipold said around 7,500 have been sold. The team must also sell at least 75 percent of its 90 suites and 75 percent of 1,800 club seats.

So as the league keeps a close eye on the situation, Leipold isn’t losing any sleep. As far as he’s concerned, there is no concern.

“I don’t stay awake at night wondering whether we’re going to be successful,” Leipold said. “I sleep real well because I know we’re going to be successful.

“I spend zero amount of time thinking about that. It is not a concern whatsoever. We will achieve it.”

Several country music artists are being used in promotions to sell tickets. Brooks, Vince Gill, Lorrie Morgan, Martina McBride and Amy Grant are pictured in advertisements missing their front teeth.

Leipold said there’s a misconception the franchise is struggling to sell tickets. It may have started after the Tennessee Oilers drew small crowds for NFL football games in their first year in Memphis.

“It is a huge misconception,” Leipold said. “If anyone reads the Tennessee newspapers, they understand how well we’re doing. The only people who talk about, ‘Are we going to be successful?’ are people outside of Tennessee. So frankly, it doesn’t bother me.”

Bure traded to Calgary

Former Spokane Chiefs star Valeri Bure was traded from the Montreal Canadiens to the Calgary Flames for Zarley Zalapski and Jonas Hoglund. Bure had seven goals and 22 assists in 50 games for the Canadiens.

On the ice

Brian Holzinger scored the go-ahead goal in the second period and Derek Plante had a power play goal in the third as the Buffalo Sabres cruised to a 5-2 win over the Florida Panthers in Miami. Florida fell three points behind Buffalo for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

At Greensboro, N.C., once again finding life on the road to their liking, Montreal got a hat trick from Vladimir Malakhov as the Canadiens improved to 8-0-2 away from home since Christmas with a 6-3 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.