Friday, April 10, 2009

Gallery: Washington Capitals

After hearing of the hassles during one of the Capitals earlier trips to Hockey Bay, I didn't hold out much hope for a decent season-closing hounding adventure. Boy, was I ever wrong.

Most every Capitals players, including Alex Ovechkin, stopped to sign. Granted, Ovie signed for two kids (sorry, but Colin wasn't one of them), even allowing himself to be called off of the team bus at game time by a well-meaning mom.

Most Hockey Bay hounds, myself included, were stunned by the Capitals' willingness to sign. These players were among those who stopped Thursday afternoon before heading off to the St. Pete Times Forum to play the Tampa Bay Lightning:

Center Sergei Fedorov, a notable toughie, must be trying to rehabilitate his hounding image. He signed quite a few autographs.

Defenseman Mike Green doesn't look too happy, does he? I'm not sure, either, if that's a bad case of "bedhead" or that's simply how Green has his hair cut.

Center Nicklas Backstrom was quick to grab a pen and sign for anyone who asked. It was the most I've ever seen him sign.

Left winger Alexander Semin, known for his deft moves on the ice, was equally adept with Sharpies.

Goalie Jose Theodore, who told a Hockey Bay hound (not me, though) he wouldn't sign a Colorado Avalanche jersey because it was "the wrong team." Guess what? He signed it as well as other items.

Right winger Viktor Kozlov didn't mind being part of a hockey-hounding lesson. When one hound, but not the one shown, kept asking who he was, I replied "Wayne Gretzky." Kozlov just smiled.

How many people can recall that center Brooks Laich was obtained by the Capitals for Petr Bondra? I can.

In a way, we've watched defenseman Milan Jurcina grow up into a solid NHL player. It wasn't all that long ago we watched him participate in a Bruins rookie camp during our time in New England.

1 comment:

Kevin said...

re. Mike Green's hair...that how all us Calgarins roll... ;)