Puckheads at the Capitals

Just take a look at these four guys in fancy headgear, the number which just happens to match the number of goals the Washington Capitals earned last Saturday night v. the Columbia Blue Jackets at the Verizon Center in Washington. The final score:  Caps, 4 and Columbia, 1/Patricia Leslie

The ceiling crowd is a mite rowdier than the more sophisticated audience down below which can afford fancier seats.  This was in Section 411, Rows M and N, not far from the ceiling. Up here we are called "ceiling fans." Yo ho ho and a bottle of beer/Patricia Leslie

Before the game started and pictured on the big screen in the center of the ice was a young cancer victim who was honored while Caps Captain Alexander Ovechkin (8) and a Blue Jacket got ready to play/Patricia Leslie

Pictured on the big screen was Corporal Brandon Tillsonkorona from Raynham, MA, honored for his military service and deployment to Afghanistan.  Fans stand, applaud, and cheer the troops, recognized by the Caps at every game/Patricia Leslie

Bob McDonald sang The Star Spangled Banner before the start of the Caps/Blue Jackets game.  Said Patricia:  If I had been near the ice rather than the ceiling, photos of the game would have been lots better/Patricia Leslie

Patricileslie@gmail.com

Ovie and The Caps On Fire at Verizon!

By the Queen of Free - N O T

With his terrific theatrics, Ovie has the crowd leaping to its feet and screaming! There he was sliding into home plate (whoops)the net, and scoring from his side while lying sideways as he skidded across the ice! From his fanny perch he twirled around and around like a ballerina (ballerino?) after making THE shot which Sports Illustrated labeled on its online front page today: "NHL Shot of the Year."

It was major performance! The fans almost beat the place to smithereens! Verizon was in flames! It will be one of those shots shown time and time again.

No way were the Capitals going to lose. It was a dynamic evening, and you talk about fun! You want fun? Come and join the throngs and make silly while you pound a stranger and your beer goes up in the air like what erupted from a few rows in front of us and the group of 20-somethings romping it up, screaming at all the many bad calls of the refs and having a joyful time.

It was a sellout game, and even from the ceiling where my friend, Claire, and I sat on the very top row, the victory swept us up on a wild night to witness the Capitals all win a ferociously exciting game.

Being on the last row has its benefits Claire said: We didn’t have to worry about blocking someone’s view or having drinks poured on us. But who would have cared on another magical Capital night? Call the fire department!

Alliteration at the Caps Game

What?

C’est vrai.

Male high school sophomores from Hermitage High School in Leesburg sat behind me at the Caps game Tuesday night. They were utterly charming and gentlemanly.

“Fight! Fight!” they screamed. “We want to see a fight! Fight ‘em!” they yelled constantly at the teams on the ice throughout the night (Caps and the Nashville Predators). My daughter would credit testosterone for it all.

“Let’s start a wave. I know we can do it. Come on, you guys,” urged one. I turned around and agreed to join them in “the wave” but it never got going.

“Washington Wizards. Where are they?” one asked. The Wizards’ banners hung from the ceiling. They play at Verizon Center, too.

“Where did that name come from?” a buddy wondered. “Alliteration,” said another.

I was stunned. How many adults can define “alliteration”?

I turned in my seat and asked: “What did you say?”

They smiled and said in unison: “Alliteration.”

“Are you studying that in English class?”

They all gleamed and nodded yes.

“Your teacher would be proud,” I exclaimed.

Amidst the “fight, fight!” they practiced their third-year Spanish including “Por que, Jose, por que?” which they shouted at the Capitols’ goalie, Jose Theodore, whenever Jose would almost miss a stop.

When some of the group left their seats momentarily, the rest of the crew decided to play a trick when they returned.

I half listened. Hockey is fast moving and one must pay attention!

Sure ‘enuf, they played their trick.

“Oh, no! I don’t believe it! “ one grimaced as he took his seat. “We missed a fight?” one yelled.

Soon unbelief and consternation led to action and I felt a tap, tap tapping on my shoulder, and the ones who “missed” the fight wanted confirmation from me: “Was there a fight?”

I could not tell a lie which led to big hoo-haws and guffaws and laughter, and the guys put up their fists for a fist-bump with me.

They came with the DECA Club from their high school, a big impressive group out to have a good time with their schoolmates and show a stranger a good time, too.

It was a good night for victories all around for the Caps won 4-3 , and so did I.

Ovie and the Caps from Section 422

The greatest game! And nobody left...not even when the score was 4-1 and there were about 2 minutes left. Usually, in the last five minutes of any (not all) hockey games, the fans start streaming out, but the Caps v. the Hurricanes had the sold-out mob glued to their seats! Excitement for all. So many players scored, assisted, stopped, bumped, trunked and ground their way to a huge win!

If you think for one minute downtown Washington is only suits and black and blue clothes and conservative fashion, you have not for sure been to a Caps game where there are real macho macho men. Bravo! To think they actually exist in downtown D.C.