Predators season opener a first for student from Kurdistan

Mahmud Brifkani is an International Relations major at Middle Tennessee State University. The 20-year old came to the United States in 1996 with his family. Brifkani’s parents, along with six brothers and sisters left their home in Duhok, Kurdistan in Northern Iraq where Brifkani’s father was a teacher because it was unsafe for the family to stay in their home country. The Brifkani’s originally settled in Virginia but moved to Nashville in 1998. On Thursday, October 15, Brifkani experienced live hockey for the first time when he attended the Nashville Predators season home opener against the Phoenix Coyotes. The Predators lost 5-2 but Brifkani got hooked. “I was watching the game on Monday night,” he said, referring to Nashville’s 3-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers, adding, “They were down by one goal. I thought they might come back for the win, but they didn’t.” Brifkani was invited to the game by some friends from high school who frequent the games at Bridgestone Arena on a regular b...