NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Stanley Cup Final drops by Music City for the first time with Game 3 between the Nashville Predators and the defending-champion Pittsburgh Penguins ready to go at it Saturday (8 p.m. ET).
Here's what you need to know about the big game and party around it in Smashville, with the Penguins leading the best-of-seven series 2-0:
Noisy neighbors (updated): Contrary to previous reports, the Predators are not attempting to break the Guinness World Record for the loudest indoor crowd "roar" at a sports event on Saturday, a record the Nashville crowd unofficially fell four decibels short of in the Western Conference finals against the Anaheim Ducks. A Predators spokesman told ESPN.com that a Guinness representative will not be at Game 3. Whether Predators fans threaten the record or not, the noise will be pretty loud to a Penguins team that hasn't experienced it yet in these playoffs. And, as you might expect, the captain isn't too worried. "We watch games on TV. We can see they play a pretty inspired game here," Sidney Crosby said. "I think [we will] just try to go with the same mindset we have on the road all playoffs long. We know they feed off their crowd. Hopefully we can get on them early." Added Penguins coach Mike Sullivan: "I think players love to play in buildings that have tons of energy. I think our building at home has had tons of energy throughout the course of the playoffs. I know our guys are looking forward to the opportunity. I think we've got to embrace it. ... This is the best environment to play in, when there's a lot of buzz, a lot of energy in the building."
Tickets are gone, Daddy: Both games in Nashville are sold out and one local news report pegged the highest secondary market price for a ticket at $2,000. Demand is so high that officials are warning fans to be wary of scalpers selling counterfeit tickets, which a man was arrested for doing in Pittsburgh ahead of Game 2. To prevent counterfeiting, the tickets for the finals are digital-only and were to be distributed to fans' phones the day before each game -- which also means if a fan is sold a paper ticket, it's likely not the real thing. Crowds are expected to be big for the viewing party of the game in the plaza outside of Bridgestone Arena as well.
Downtown party: For those in the viewing-party area, country music superstar Alan Jackson will be performing a free concert on a stage at Fifth and Broadway -- the main honky tonk drag in Nashville -- facing the Cumberland River. The concert is called, of course, "Broadway Smash: Preds Party with a Purpose." Because every party needs a purpose.
Bonino gets the boot: Nick Bonino's gutsy shot-block that helped turn the tide in Game 2 is not easily shaken off, as Bonino was seen in a walking boot after the Penguins landed in Nashville on Friday. It's the playoffs, so he's a game-time decision, of course. But Bonino's absence would create yet another hole the Penguins would have to fill. "I think everyone is prepared, regardless of who is in," Crosby said, not directly addressing Bonino's injury. "Everyone's going to do whatever it takes to make sure they can play. If not, someone else who steps in is ready to take on that challenge. That's just the nature of this time of year."
Subban's guarantee, Day 3: P.K. Subban wasn't backing off his guarantee -- well, let's call it more of a confident reassurance -- during scrums here on Friday. But the Penguins were downplaying it. "Nobody has really talked about it, to be honest," said Crosby about his team's dealing with it. "I think we know that this time of year, there's no shortage of motivation. I think going into this situation, we expect their best game. We expect a desperate team." "Our focus is really on our team," Sullivan added. "We're not overly concerned about what our opponents are saying or what they're doing. Our focus is on our team, how we need to play in order to have success."
Stats say: The Predators might need a pseudo-guarantee to distract themselves from history: according to our own Vince Masi, teams that have fallen behind 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Final are 5-45, and teams that lost the first two road games of a finals series are 3-34.
Game-time forecast: A humid high of 90 is expected during the day on Saturday ahead of Game 3, and fans are being reminded to hydrate before the game. Like anyone needs to be told that in Nashville.
Fish forecast: Fish markets in the area have stocked up on catfish in preparation for what could be a flying school of the slimy creatures if the game goes either way. The NHL finds itself in a tough position, as the tossing of octupi has long been a playoff tradition in Detroit (dating back to when it took eight wins to capture the Stanley Cup), so it can't crack down too harshly. But if a Predators fan is willing to smuggle a catfish into Game 1 in Pittsburgh in his shorts -- after flattening it with his car and spraying it with cologne to hide the smell -- who knows what volume a home crowd is capable of?