Sunday afternoon, Lars Eller started the second half of his second Capitals season with a bang.
In the third period of a tied game against the Blues, Eller put home a rebound that sent a somewhat sleepy matinee crowd at Capital One Arena into a frenzy.
Even better, Eller’s daughter was in the building to see it.
Video
Indirect 🍎 off the goalie! #CapsBlues #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/D5Qzo5xXj3
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) January 7, 2018
TJ Oshie took a pass from Eller and drove down the right wing with just under 10 minutes to go in regulation. When Blues goalie Carter Hutton came out to challenge the shot, Oshie shot the puck off his right blocker pad, looking to create a rebound. The puck bounced to Eller, who put the puck past a diving Hutton from a severe angle.
The goal, Eller’s sixth of the season, gave the Caps a 3-2 lead. St. Louis would equalize minutes later, but Washington would win in overtime on a Nicklas Backstrom tally.
"I scored by thiis much." pic.twitter.com/b2AeQXuPHP
— NHL GIFs (@NHLGIFs) January 7, 2018
After the game, NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir was in the process of interviewing the goalscorer when, all of a sudden, there was a small interruption.
“It shows that we’re a mentally strong team.” — Lars Eller, who had big goal…and a surprise visit from his young daughter Sophia in the locker room afterward (wait for it; it was adorable). pic.twitter.com/VGZmZrVtHm
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) January 7, 2018
“Daddy! Daddy!” Sophia, Eller’s young daughter, yelled as she hugged her papa’s leg.
Such a tender moment.
Full RMNB Coverage of Caps vs Blues
Headline photo via @TarikNBCS
