Saturday evening, Alex Ovechkin finally scored his milestone 50th goal of the season. The 33-year-old Ovechkin hit the 50-goal threshold for the eighth time in his career and the first time in three seasons (2015-16). Then, less than two minutes later, he scored again to make it 51 goals.
Ovechkin scored his second goal so quickly, it caught one Caps fan unprepared.
Caps fan Andria had been in the middle of blowing up giant gold “50” balloons she’d brought to Amalie Arena in case Ovi scored his 50th. She didn’t even get the chance to finish blowing up the “0” balloon before Ovi scored again.
So Andria adapted and folded the half-blown balloon into a “1” for “51.”
5⃣1⃣🎈 pic.twitter.com/zdTToQfkIK
— b. (@youripides) March 31, 2019
The game broadcast captured Andria and her mom Mary rushing to inflate the balloons.
The balloons weren’t the only thing Andria brought to the game. She also made signs and wore an Ovi GOAT t-shirt to warmups.
Andria’s sign depicts Ovi the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) over a flaming hot stick, with the words “We Want 50”.
“I wanted to make a sign to commemorate Ovi’s 10-year anniversary of his ‘stick on fire’ celebration against Tampa when he scored 50 in 2009,” Andria said. “And I knew tonight would be special if he could get his 50th because of the caliber of players he now goes down in the history books, with having 8 seasons with 50 goals.”
Ovechkin now has eight 50-goal seasons and needs only one more season with 50 to catch up to Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy for the most in NHL history. Ovechkin also now has more 50-goal seasons than all other active NHL players combined.
“Let’s just be honest, the guy is just the f-cking GOAT, man,” Andria said. “Excuse my language, but the man is a freaking legend.”
Andria has been a Caps fan her whole life, though she hasn’t been able to attend a game for a while since she has lived in Spain the past two years. She even flew home from Spain last season to catch the Caps in the Stanley Cup Final.
She says she brought the balloons and poster because she wanted to make sure the Capitals felt the love from their fans even on the road.
“I made the sign and brought the balloons because the boys, especially Ovi, deserve all the love and support from fans no matter what barn they’re playing in. Someone had to go all out for him on away ice!”
You can get your own GOAT t-shirt here.
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