Photo: @kadywilson

Ex-Capitals teammates Joel Ward and Troy Brouwer met in this year’s Western Conference Finals with their new teams, the San Jose Sharks and St. Louis Blues, respectively. Ward, clutch af as always, got the best of the matchup with four big goals in Games Five and Six.

In the handshake line after the Shark’s series victory, Ward and Brouwer shared a tender moment.

Video clipped and edited from @wubbs18

They hugged before tapping each other on the side of the helmet. Brouwer was the only player Ward embraced.

Before the series, Ward and Brouwer talked about how weird it was to be playing each other for hockey’s ultimate prize.

“Me and Wardo, we still talk quite a bit,” Brouwer said. “My wife and his girlfriend chat all the time. It’s always difficult going up against old friends. But you have to put that aside and know it’s business. It’s always got a weird feeling to it when you play old teammates and really good friends. As the series goes on, we’ll see a lot more of each other, and I’m sure there will be a couple of more battles, but it’s always a good time.”

“He sent me a note saying, ‘Good luck,’” Ward said . “It’s kind of my first time really playing against somebody that, I mean … I had a chance to play with him four years straight and consider him a good buddy. During the regular season, if we’re playing each other, we’ll go for dinner or whatnot. But now, it’s a little different. We’re all here to compete, we’re all here for the same reason.”

“Obviously, he’s not going to let up on me as much as I asked him to. But that’s just the way it goes.”

The Big Cheese will be going to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in his career. Brouwer won the Cup with the Blackhawks in 2010.

Thanks to @alcirillo for telling us about it.