2023 Xfinity & Truck Series Champs Cole Custer & Ben Rhodes Proudly Flaunt Their NHL Pick Amidst Predator’s Resounding Victory

In the quiet spell of NASCAR’s off-season, we already saw that NFL fever had caught on among the circuit’s drivers. The excitement kicked off with Bubba Wallace, who had a whale of a time with his wife at the Tennessee-Georgia football game. Then came Denny Hamlin, who was spotted soaking in the Ohio State Buckeyes vs Michigan Wolverines clash, playfully ribbing his buddy in the process. But now, it’s the turn for Cole Custer and Ben Rhodes to join in on the sporting revelry- not football, but hockey.

The duo was recently spotted in the stands, rooting for their beloved Nashville Predators in their face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Custer and Rhodes made it to the big screen, where they were seen revving up the crowd, urging them to crank up the volume and rally behind their team. However, the two were not alone.

With NASCAR’s very own Chief Hype Officer in the stands, alongside Cole Custer, how could the crowd be anything but electric?

Cole Custer and Ben Rhodes were already working their magic, fueling the excitement as seen in a video on NASCAR’s Twitter, captioned, “Our guys know how to get a crowd hyped! We had a great time, @PredsNHL.” But they weren’t alone. Mamba Smith, naturally gifted at spreading cheer, effortlessly kept everyone’s spirits soaring. His presence in the stadium was like a spark, igniting enthusiasm all around. The NASCAR contingent’s support seemed to work wonders.

The Penguins struggled with their power play and continued in their loss to the Predators. Filip Forsberg dazzled with a coast-to-coast overtime goal, just 14 seconds in, sealing the Predators’ thrilling 3-2 victory and their sixth consecutive win. Michael McCarron shone with two goals, and Forsberg chipped in with an assist too.

Predators’ goalie Juuse Saros was a wall in the net, stopping 29 shots. On the other side, Evgeni Malkin and Bryan Rust, each netting their 10th-season goals, spearheaded the Penguins’ comeback from a two-goal lag, but it wasn’t enough. Their power play woes persisted, failing to score in their last 21 attempts. Malkin’s prowess continued, marking his 21st point against Nashville in 19 career games. A brief scuffle followed his goal, adding to the game’s intensity. Rust’s comeback, post-injury, was marked by a wrist shot that leveled the score, assisted by rookie John Ludvig, who earned his first NHL point with that play.

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This display of spirit and support is something to admire. In fact, NASCAR driver, Kyle Busch feels that NASCAR could learn a few things from NHL.

Kyle Busch suggested that NASCAR can adopt some of the hockey rules

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Back in May 2023, when fists flew between Ross Chastain and Noah Gragson, security was quick on the draw, stepping in right after Chastain landed a punch. They shielded Gragson from returning the favor, but Kyle Busch believes in a fair fight.

Busch shared his take, “I feel like security stepped in about 10 seconds too quick. You let one guy get a hell of a hit and then you block the other guy from getting a hit back. At least let the guy try and then maybe get one in. Let them get a good 30 seconds in. A round in boxing is three minutes. There’s isn’t a damn one of us that’s going to make a round of three minutes. So, if it’s 15, 20, 30 seconds, whatever, come up with a number, start the clock, let’s go. It’s going to be way better for TV and ratings are going to go off the charts.”

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Later on, Denny Hamlin echoed Busch’s sentiments, suggesting a bit more leeway might be in order. According to him, sometimes, you need to let them sort it out for a tad longer. Sure, there’s always a risk, but if you’re too scared of getting hurt, maybe think twice before stirring the pot on the track.