The Alex Ovechkin hot lap is now officially a thing.
It all started on May 7. Before Game Six against the Penguins, Ovechkin asked Jay Beagle if he could take the fourth-line center’s tradition of doing a solo lap around the rink before the team’s morning skate.
“If the big guy wants it, he gets it,” Beagle said to NBC Sports Washington’s Tarik El-Bashir.
The Capitals proceeded eliminated the Pens later that night. Ovechkin did the hot lap again Friday before Game One against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Capitals dominated, scoring the game’s first four goals and hanging on to win 4-2.
Sunday morning, ahead of Game Two, Ovechkin did the hot lap again. Both El-Bashir and the Washington Post’s Isabelle Khurshudyan got video.
Videos
The ‘Ovi hot lap’ tradition continues. #Caps pic.twitter.com/i3ciZ295kq
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 13, 2018
Video: @TarikNBCS
Here’s Ovechkin practicing for the fastest skater competition. (Actually, it’s just a road playoff superstition) pic.twitter.com/ypXKXQvnZl
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) May 13, 2018
Video: @ikhurshudyan
After the morning skate, Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov talked about the superstitious lap.
Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov joke about the #Caps’ hot lap superstition. #Caps #CapsBolts pic.twitter.com/q92hWodr3t
— Tarik El-Bashir⌨️🎙🏒 (@TarikNBCS) May 13, 2018
When asked if it was superstition or something he liked to do, Ovechkin played coy.
“I have to, the skates have to move,” Ovechkin said. “They have to wake up, you know? That’s why I’m over there do the lap.”
Meanwhile, Kuzy had a joke.
“I don’t think I’m going to go there because after me, no one’s going to be fast enough,” Kuznetsov said, breaking up into laughter.
Will the Capitals up their record to 3-0 when Ovi does a hot lap? We’ll find out later tonight after Game Two.
#Capitals morning skate doesn’t start until the Ovi hot lap happens pic.twitter.com/AJQvDzRAr6
— Alan May (@MayHockeyNBCS) May 13, 2018
Headline photo via @ikhurshudyan
