Photo: Amanda Bowen
Wednesday, new Caps acquisition TJ Oshie did an interview on DC101’s Elliot In The Morning to plug Washington’s home opener on October 10th. Two days removed from his first preseason game as a Capital, the show’s host, Elliot Segal, wondered what the new Caps first-line right wing felt when Barry Trotz announced him as a starter inside the locker room.
“I guess it’s a little exciting,” Oshie said. “You kind of get that jittery feeling kinda like you had in high school when the coach said you’re starting. With NHL hockey, I’ve been here a while. It seems more like a match-up type thing, but it’s always fun to start a game.”
That conversation led to something even more fascinating: Oshie discussed the last time he felt anxious on the ice.
“The last time I was nervous in a hockey game was the first shootout after the Olympics,” Oshie said “It was a year and a half ago.”
He’s referring to three weeks after his star-making moment, when he single-handedly defeated Russia in an Olympic sudden-victory shootout. That win earned Oshie shout-out from President Obama.
Congrats to T.J. Oshie and the U.S. men's hockey team on a huge win! Never stop believing in miracles. #GoTeamUSA -bo
— White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) February 15, 2014
On March 10, 2014, after the St. Louis Blues and Minnesota Wild could not settle things in 65 minutes, the game went to the skills competition.
Oshie felt like the entire world was watching him. He did not want to disappoint.
Darren Pang sets the stage. Oshie’s shootout attempt starts at 2:20.
Oshie beat Ilya Bryzgalov– barely. After slowly skating into the offensive zone and dekeing at the slot, Oshie fired the puck over Bryz’s left shoulder. Alexander Steen sealed the win for the Blues in the second round after goaltender Brian Elliott turned away both Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu.
“I actually didn’t make that great of a move,” Oshie said, admitting that he held on too long. “Somehow the puck found the back of the net.”
Oshie, who says he “typically doesn’t get nervous,” thinks October 10 will be a different story.
“I think Opening Night I’ll get [butterflies],” Oshie said. “There’s usually a lot of fog and I’m always nervous I’m going to trip on something.”
