(Caps Outsider)
While most sports fans were at home icing their beer and preparing their chicken wings and queso dip for the Super Bowl, Caps fans made their way to the Verizon Center to see the Capitals play the Detroit Red Wings. Let’s face it, congress might as well pass a bill to change the name of our country to The United States of Football each year on Super Bowl Sunday to commemorate the sports worlds’ most coveted final competition. It’s a big deal, but there was also a hockey game in Washington, DC. Even though the Caps have been anything but ‘super’ in their recent match-ups, Caps fans arrived ready to have a good time and Rock the Red.
“There’s plenty of time before the Super Bowl,” said Victor Kazanjian of Olney, MD. “I’m a season ticket holder, and I’m entertaining my son and his friends for their positive work. This is their reward.”
Alex Chacon of Derwood, MD is also a season ticket holder and rarely misses a game. “I just want to see them beat the Red Wings,” he said. “The Olympics could be a distraction for the Caps lately, but I hope not today.”
Cecilia Ventura has been an avid Caps fan for the past five years. She and her brother, Elias, wanted to take in the game since it was prior to the Super Bowl.
“The Caps game won’t interfere with the Super Bowl. We have to come out to support the home team,” Elias Ventura added.
And then, of course, there’s the tradition.
Bart Miller of Erie, PA and Bobby Baldwin of Fredericksburg, VA have made it a tradition to attend the afternoon Caps’ game and watch the Super Bowl together for the past six years.
“It’s a good start to a great party,” said Miller. “We started to party at 9:00 AM today.”
“And don’t forget the girl watching,” added Baldwin who had a lot to say about the faltering Caps.
“You can’t build a team around one guy,” he said talking about Alex Ovechkin. “There’s got to be teamwork. I’m not a Penguins fan, but they’re a good example of a lot of good players working as a team, especially when Crosby is on the ice. He makes the team better. Ovechkin is great in and of himself. He doesn’t make the Caps, as a team, better.”
(Hmmmmm……..)
Anyway, the Caps played well enough to beat the Red Wings in overtime, 6-5.
“It was back and forth for sure,” said Caps’ right-winger Joel Ward of his fifth multi-point game this season. “To continue to be successful, we just have to stay sharp on defense and execute.”
Coach Adam Oates was upbeat about the Caps’ performance. “It was a very exciting hockey game,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of kids in there playing a lot of minutes. Connor Carrick did a great job, and we figured out a way to get a win.”
Many fans headed home to tend to their Super Bowl delicacies, while others made a stop in Chinatown to take in the Chinese New Year festivities. Whatever their choice, they saw the Caps play an exciting, high scoring hockey game and win, which made Super Bowl Sunday a bit more memorable and set the tone for an awesome day of sports and fun.
