What a fantasic sports experience today at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC! The Washington Capitals hosted the defending Stanley Cup Champion, Detroit Red Wings, in a much-anticipated afternoon matinee.   The Caps haven’t defeated the legendary Red Wings at home in a long time.

As my buddy, Kurt, and I approached the VC, you could feel the electricity and buzz in the air … over 50% of the fans, maybe more like 75%, were wearing red (the Caps now wear red uniforms at home and their theme is “Rock the Red”), but the Red Wings fans were also sporting red colors. But, unlike the Stanley Cup Finals in ’98 when over the half of the crowd were Red Wings Fans, today’s sell-out crowd clearly was 80% Caps’ fans.

The first period good, clean hockey.   Neither team took many chances … in the final minutes of the first period, each team tallied a goal it make it 1 – 1 after 1 period (you have to you-tube the goal by Leino’s goal — wow, what a tricky maneuver to score the goal).  The second period also featured good, clean action and both teams each tallied one more goal each to make it 2 – 2 after 2 periods.

I turned to my buddy at the beginning of the third period and remarked “big players like to step up in big situations in big games to try to make things happen …”   I was referring to the great and dynamic Alex Ovechkin.

Fortunately, he proved me right as he scored twice in the third period — his league-leading 32nd and 33rd goals to help lead the  Caps to an important and convincing 4 – 2 win!

It was great to see Penn Quarter rocking as we headed to our car — what a great win by the hometown Caps.  Let’s go, Caps!