The Capitals have done a lot to support the minority-focused Tucker Road Ducks youth hockey organization. Defenseman Brooks Orpik went above and beyond by connecting them with the NHLPA after their rink was badly damaged by a fire. He arranged equipment donation and other support through the NHLPA’s Goals and Dreams Fund, and Monumental Sports & Entertainment made a donation of $5,300.
The organization’s support continued on Saturday night as the Capitals faced off against the Buffalo Sabres. Many of the Ducks players were at Capital One Arena to watch the action live and meet many notable people of color from within the Capitals organization and connected groups.
Orpik got to meet up with one of the players he met in January when he made the equipment donation, and they introduced Orpik to some of the Ducks’ “newest players, one of whom is directly benefitting first hand from our NHLPA Goals & Dreams granted equipment.”
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The Ducks’ action-packed evening on Saturday included getting to meet “Bill Douglas from the Color of Hockey blog, founding Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture Lonnie Bunch, NWHL player from the Riveters Kelsey Koelzer, and Canadian documentarian Kwame Mason who did ‘Soul on Ice’.”
What a night! Devante Smith-Pelly scored his 100th career point and met Renee Hess, founder of the Black Girl Hockey Club #BGHC #hockeyisforeveryone #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/uud1nVAOJi
— TheColorOfHockey (@ColorOfHockey) December 16, 2018
They also met referees, mascots, and many players, including the Capitals’ two black players Devante Smith-Pelly and Madison Bowey, goaltender Braden Holtby, newcomer Nic Dowd, and “friend of the Ducks” Brooks Orpik.
Brooks Orpik met with some members of the Tucker Road Ducks after the game tonight. Brooks donated equipment to the Ducks last season after they lost everything in a fire ❤️
🎥: https://t.co/MlmQ1vIqzv pic.twitter.com/lIOLHKK36C
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) December 16, 2018
Orpik just recently started skating after undergoing knee surgery. Even though his impact isn’t being felt on the ice yet, he’s definitely making a difference off of it.
Headline photo: NBCSCapitals
