FIDDLERMANIA BEGINS

Predators phenomenon Vernon Fiddler scored his first goal of the season and also tallied his first assist in Tuesday's 2-0 win against Calgary. Play had to be temporarily stopped after Fiddler's goal due to ecstatic Nashville fans hurling thousands of miniature fiddles onto the ice.

"VERN! VERN! VERN!" chanted the exhilarated crowd. The game almost had to be cancelled when large groups of Fiddlermaniacs (as they have come to be known) began climbing over the glass in excitement, but Fiddler saved the day by skating over to the timekeeper's box and asking that they calm themselves.

Now in this third NHL season, Fiddler seems poised to ascend to the upper ranks of the NHL elite. The undrafted Edmonton native, long heralded as the heart and soul of the still-green Predators franchise, has been described for years by hockey experts as "A combination of Gretzky, Orr, Richard and Dryden put together. And yes, we are aware that Dryden was a goaltender. Fiddler is that good."

The Music City seems to think so as well. The Predators were preparing to rename the franchise the Nashville Fiddles during the off-season, with unanimous support throughout the entire city, but the ever-humble Fiddler declined the honour, saying he was "happy to be a Predator." So instead, the city built a new arena shaped exactly like Fiddler's face, and designed a hugely successful souvenir/merchandise chain, including the mini fiddles and the incredibly popular "Fiddlesticks," a cinnamon wafer treat.

"Is there a better possible match in the NHL - except maybe Miroslav Satan and New Jersey - than Vernon Fiddler and Nashville?" said beaming Predators head coach Barry Trotz. "I intend to use Fids on the power play, to kill penalties, to take faceoffs, in overtime, in the shootout, as a goaltender in the shootout, to open the gates, to negotiate contracts for the other players, to fly our plane for road trips, the list goes on."

Tuesday was Fiddler's seventh game this season, which means the 25-year-old sensation is on pace to annihilate his previous season high of 4 goals. Projected scoring for the year have Fiddler leading the league in goals (158), assists (293), plus/minus (+576) and PIM (4,305).