We put together some clips of the crowd reactions from the Caps huge game 5 overtime win over the New York Rangers so you can see what it is like to be in a nervous but excited arena during the NHL playoffs. And then, at the end, it all comes together as the crowd goes insane when the Caps pull out the win on a Mike Ribeiro game winner. Check out the video.
On Friday night at Verizon Center, after the Washington Capitals defeated the New York Rangers with an exciting overtime goal, a big thunderstorm broke out just as the huge crowd was exiting the Verizon Center. That didn't stop the over-excited crowd from expressing their joy after witnessing an amazing and important victory.
A large group of fans gathered around a street performing band and a huge dance party broke out. While many people (and the band) were packed under a small corner overhang, several were just dancing in the rain, soaking wet. It was fun and a really cool scene.
At one point a father puts his tiny daughter on his shoulders and the crowd begins to dance with them as the little girl bounces like crazy as she holds up a "World's Biggest Caps Fan" sign. You can see what you missed in the video below.
Before the start of Game 2 of Rangers/Caps of the NHL playoffs, A group of New York Rangers fans at Verizon Center decided to wait for a quiet moment between stanzas in the National Anthem to scream "Let's Go Rangers". It was really annoying and ruined what is typically a nice patriotic moment before games. Video follows.
We've been having fun so far these playoffs so we thought we'd have more fun. We were at both game 1 and 2 and got some footage of Caps fans around the Verizon Center. Instead of just doing a slideshow or something, we decided to make it a Taylor Swift song and video. Um...whatever is below is what happened...uh...word.
Every season we like to have a little fun and create some songs to help pump us up for the playoffs. After about 10 failed attempts to make a Ke$ha or Kelly Clarkson song, we ended up going with a Rihanna song. Check it out.
When Matt Hendricks did a little dance after scoring a goal the other night, we couldn't stop smiling. Not only was it a great goal that helped the Caps clinch the playoffs, but it was a great display of emotion, and just a bunch of fun. The Hendy Shuffle was born.
After the game we couldn't stop doing it ourselves. Getting food from the Fridge, Hendy Shuffly. Walking the dog, Hendy Shuffle. Business meeting, Hendy Shuffle. So we thought we'd put together a video to teach YOU how to do the Hendy Shuffle. It's simple, just follow along with Matt Hendricks, Alex Ovechkin, and Nicklas Backstrom!
Sometimes the different DC Sports teams all come together to provide worthy (or non-worthy) fun and excitement. Instead of just posting it a zillion times, this segment will just link you over to the main story.
You just saw Slapshot help deliver the flying clothesline to Teddy of the Nats. Now watch as an inflatable version of the Caps eagle dances to Drake, Pitbull, and of course, as all mascot bits end, to Gangnam Style. Do we really have to keep ending our mascot bits with that?
During Tuesday night's game between the Florida and Washington, the Panthers Kris Versteeg gave Alex Ovechkin a cheap-shot cross-check causing the Capital's Great Eight to take offense. Gloves went flying and the waltz began. Except it was really more like a waltz than anything else.
The two players spun in circles holding each other, and maybe a punch or 2 was thrown, but not really things NHL fight dreams are made of.
There was a roughing on Ovi and Versteeg and the cross-check on Kris, so not really a fight...but whatever...
The Washington Capitals are currently in last place in the NHL and the players and fans don't seem to know what to do. Jay Beagle had an interesting take on the Caps' problems and how to solve them.
No, he didn't say to practice harder, or for a Captain to show up to optional events. He instead suggested a more bizarre plan.
“I don’t know if we have to sacrifice a cow or something. I don’t know what we have to do.” -Jay Beagle (via Wash Post)
Well a select group of Caps fans took that Beagle quote a little too literally. On Saturday afternoon following a Capitals optional morning skate, fans gathered outside the front entrance of Kettler Iceplex to partake in a wild ritual.
Jenn & Chicken Mode Slice The Head Off Of A Rubber Cow...For The Cup
Led by Caps superfan Jenn Rubenstein (@JennRubenstein), with help from professional DC Sports animal sacrificer Hugh Kaufman (AKA Chicken Mode), both a rubber cow and rubber goat were sacrificed to the hockey gods.
But this wasn't just some quickly thrown together bit. This sacrifice was backed by prayer. Rabbi Leigh Ann Kopans, blessed the sacrificial rubber animals via Twitter before the ritual. Kopans wrote the following blessing:
The Rubber Chicken man lifted the Nats curse, helping them get to the playoffs, and it will only be a matter of time before the ritual lifting of the 2013 Caps curse starts to show its power. Stay Tuned...
After practice on Friday, Alex Ovechkin came out of Kettler to sign a few autographs with his dry cleaning in hand. Unlike his teammates, Alex usually only signs a few things and then gets out of there in his awesome car (that has been documented to land more girls than me)
You can get an idea of how he gets mobbed by the fans, and how some of them even follow him to his car trying to score an autograph, while also seeing that he is a real person. He puts his dry cleaning in the passenger seat, he has to slide his big frame into that tiny car. Plus the car is just awesome.
CNN sent a reporter out to Kettler Iceplex on Friday morning for the final day of Washington Capitals training camp. The reporter spoke to a bunch of fans about the lockout, about what hockey means to them, and about the Caps.
Awesome Picture Taken And Tweeted By Criag of Puck Buddys
One of the featured interviewees was Doug from Puck Buddies. (The only reason this entire website exists is because of them, so you need to follow them if you aren't yet) Doug was getting really passionate in his interview as he talked about his love for hockey. And of course he predicted that the Caps would take home the Cup!
The segment is being pieced together and should air sometime on CNN on Saturday (or so I was told). Be sure you check it out and see what all the great Caps fans had to say about their favorite sport!
Here's a quick video showing the CNN crew at the home of the Washington Capitals:
The following is a video of Nicklas Backstrom of the Washington Capitals signing autographs for the fans with a Diet Coke in hand. Nicky signs something for every single fan, then gets in his car to leave.
Unfortunately at the same time, Tom Poti comes out of the building and fans mob him in the parking lot for autographs...right behind Backstrom's car.
Nick honks his horn a couple times, but nobody moves. Find out how long it takes him to slowly squeeze out of his spot and get on the road.
That was one of the several conversations I creepily overheard Thursday night at the Washington Capitals fan appreciation night. The free event at Verizon Center featured a ton of free food, a Caps practice, face painting, cheerleaders, and of course overpriced beer.
The event had about 10,000 fans attend, which is insane and possibly more than actual attendance at a Washington Wizards game.
One of the first thing fans noticed if they spent any time walking around the concourse was that many people spent a majority of the night waiting in lines. The fans arrived early and lined up outside of Verizon Center before the event began. Herding up like cattle awaiting the farmer to open the fence. And when the gates were open fans raced to another line, where they stood and awaited free food.
And why wouldn't the fans line up, the food choices were great. They had chili nachos, buffalo wings, hot dogs, Dippin' Dots, cotton candy, popcorn, soda, and more. And it was all free with just one catch. You couldn't grab a second item for your friends.
Concession Lady Letting The 10,000th Person Know The Limit Was 1 Item Per Person
You should have seen the number of sob stories at the front of lines. Fans complaining that they could only take 1 FREE food item were coming up with all sorts of stories to try to convince the men and women at the register to break the rule for them.
My favorite instance of this was a 8 year old (ish) boy in the Dippin' Dots line. He was sent there to pick up some ice cream of the future for him and his brother, who was waiting back at his seat. When the guy in charge gave him the answer "no" the kid was not happy.
In a very loud and authoritative voice the little person stated his credentials as a season ticket holder. Obviously, he was not like the other rubes in the line. He was special. Didn't the ice cream guy understand?
The server still refused and the child was stunned. He just stared at the guy speechless with a Tony Kornheiser like "Do you know who I am" look on his face before heading back towards his seat dejected and angry. In my head I heard him exclaim, "Why I neeehhhvaaaa!" in a southern woman's accent.
Other highlights of the night included Elliot in the morning being awkward, Ovechkin saying his favorite NHL player was Dale Hunter, and Troy Brouwer dancing the Gangnam Style.
Joey Crabb is one of the new faces on the Washington Capitals this season. All week long at Caps training camp fans have been staring at him, trying to place his face. Most of the time, he goes unrecognized by fans until a die-hard Caps fan lets them on to the fact that Crabb is on the team.
Here is a cool little video from after Caps practice on Thursday where Crabb pretends he is Marcus Johansson's friend, and not a hockey player. He makes it past the fans with this strategy, but I wasn't fooled. I laughed as he escaped unbothered.
Check out the video, and then what happens when Crabb is recognized, it is quite funny. Joe also tells us what to eat if we want to play in the NHL. I'll give you a hint, it rhymes with Russell Fouts:
Back in March of 2012, Alexander Ovechkin collided with teammate Mike Knuble and was knocked out of practice. Knuble was fine and Ovechkin apparently just had the wind knocked out of him.
Well Alex was back at it again, this time colliding with teammate Marcus Johansson in a training camp scrimmage against the Caps ECHL affiliate Reading Royals on Tuesday. Ovechkin got hit in the mouth and lay on the ice bleeding after the hit. There were no serious injuries but it was a scary moment.
I know that several people didn't get to see the incident live, so I recreated it with Mojo the Dino and a shake weight that is Alex Ovechkin. This is just bizarre.
Here's another quick video from Caps training camp. Adam Oates had the players skating laps during practice, and the players went in groups with their same color jerseys.
It was quite the colorful situation. Check it out!
So a little kid, maybe 6 years old has this really cool Maryland hockey goalie helmet, and he was wearing it around Kettler all day. Later his mom takes him to get autographs from the Washington Capitals goaltenders. See what happens in this video.
This video is great because it starts off with one of the fans screaming "Brandon" to get Braden's attention. Later, you can hear the little kid scream "Mr. Neuvirrrrth!" in an adorable kids voice. Enjoy:
After the first day of training camp, the Washington Capitals players walked past some fans on their way to get their pictures taken. One of the kids got so excited that the Caps players were so close to him that he got a little sick.
The Kid pukes on the floor, and a quick thinking Caps employee grabs a trash can and runs over to the kid to catch the rest of the puke. Nick Backstrom comes by unaware a few minutes later. Take a look to see what happened:
LOL. Not sure how much puke was on the floor at the time when Backy walked through.
After a Washington Capitals unofficial practice, Matt Hendricks took a few minutes to spend some time with a small group of fans who were gathered outside of Kettler Iceplex. Hendy talks about the time he spent in Afghanistan this holiday season to support the troops, the impending CBA signing, and the signing of former Cap Eric Fehr. Check it out:
While all of the Caps players were very friendly to fans and signed all requested items (and took all requested pictures) Hendricks was extremely nice, spending several minutes small talking with fans.
Here's What Home Ice Advantage Sounds Like
