On Monday, ahead of the Capitals decisive Game Six against the Pittsburgh Penguins, captain Alex Ovechkin took over the traditional “hot lap” from Jay Beagle at morning skate.
According to NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir, Ovi’s hot lap is now “officially a thing.” At Amalie Arena Friday, the Russian machine once again kicked off morning skate with a lap around the rink, as the rest of the Capitals cheered and tapped their sticks.
Ovechkin kicked off the morning skate with another hot lap around the rink as his teammates cheered and tapped their sticks. It’s officially a thing now. #Caps
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 11, 2018
“If the big guy wants it, he gets it,” Beagle cracked to El-Bashir, when asked about Ovechkin taking over the fourth-line center’s role on Monday. Should Ovi continue to take the lap, it could become a new superstition as the playoffs continue.
The #Caps are a loose bunch ahead of Game 6. Alex Ovechkin kicked off the skate with a hot lap around PPG Paints Arena. Haha. #CapsPens pic.twitter.com/SQMySloHQD
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 7, 2018
Though there was no new footage of Ovechkin’s second hot lap of the 2018 postseason, we’ll leave you with the above video from El-Bashir from Monday’s morning skate.
