WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The Washington Capitals ended the championship drought in Washington in 2018, winning the Stanley Cup finals and bringing that cup back to the district to celebrate.
“They were really showing how we all felt,” Capitals fan Zack Garvin said.
Seven years later, fans are still thinking about that celebration.
“The joy to see them win and bring a championship to this city,” Capitals fan Bob Doherty said. “And then to cap it off with their celebration. Unbelievable.”
On Friday the Capitals returned to one of the most memorable spots from the summer of 2018 — the Washington Harbour Ice Rink in Georgetown — where T.J. Oshie hoisted the cup, Alexander Ovechkin did pushups in the water and the fans joined in the party with the players.
“It was cool to see how childlike they were,” Capitals fan Cindy Labarge said. “It just makes me really happy to think about.”
While the fountain runs in the summer, ironically, the location is an ice skating rink during the winter. Fans were happy to be back on Friday and think back to that special celebration.
“The spontaneity, them frolicking in the fountain,” Doherty said. “A wonderful experience.”
In conjunction with the team’s 50th anniversary season, stars from the 2018 season — T.J. Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom — took part in Friday’s ceremony.
“I don’t know how hot it was but it felt like it was scorching outside,” Oshie said of the fountain celebration. “With the fans around and all the guys in kind of a tight area it was getting a little warm, I had just a little idea to jump in the fountain and try to grab all the guys I could… …Special fountain for sure.”
At Friday’s ceremony, the Capitals and Washington Harbour unveiled a special plaque at the fountain location that read “Home of the 2017-18 Washington Capitals Fountain Celebration — In Vegas They Became Champions Here They Became Legends.”
“It’s a place where all of us are never going to forget,” Backstrom said. “We’re going to celebrate this for many years to come.”
As the team gets ready to make another run at the Stanley Cup this season, Oshie and Backstrom are both on the team’s long term injury list.
“The plaque here will always be something that will be a core memory of sharing that amazing experience with the fans,” Oshie said.
Through the 50 years of Capitals hockey, fans have always felt and continue to feel part of the team.
“Marking forever here what happened that day. That’s the spontaneity of the joy of these guys,” Doherty said. “It’s a joy we all share.”
For fans on Friday, they not only got to remember the 2018 celebration, but they got to share yet another moment with their cherished team and players.
“One of the highlights of my life,” Garvin said. “To get to be here so close to them, hear them reminisce, think of the same times for me, it’s unbelievable.”
Now, both the team and its fans, shift their focus to the 2025 Stanley Cup.
“I’m really hoping they bring it home again,” Labarage said. “And we can be back here and they can jump in the fountain again.”
