Forward Nic Dowd scored a pretty important goal in the Capital’s 2-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens Thursday night. The goal was not only Dowd’s eighth of the season, a career high, but it also won the game and clinched the Capitals’ fourth consecutive Metropolitan Division title. (It also came just two days after Dowd also scored goal that clinched the Caps’ playoff spot.)
But the goal also created some controversy. After the second-period tally, the Capitals social media team tweeted out an image of Dowd with the caption, “Dowder Power,” a direct attack on power-related puns that actually work.
DOWDER POWER 2-1 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/fyVGs2LWkd
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) April 5, 2019
In the interest of preserving the sanctity of pun-centric goal celebrations, we’ve compiled a list of seven Dowd puns that are inarguably better than Dowder Power, which does not rhyme and objectively makes no sense.
1: More like Nic WOWd
The most obvious of Dowd puns. Why would you bypass this solid option to go for Dowder Power? A+
2: Getting Dowd to Business
This entry, from Taylor on Twitter, hits all the right notes. It seamlessly inserts Dowd’s name into a known phrase that’s relevant to scoring goals. A+
3: Rowdy for Dowdy
This — unlike Dowder Power, which is bad — actually rhymes, which makes it fun to say. Pairs well with Frisky for Nisky. A-
4: Dowd and Proud
Another fairly obvious option. Simple. Clean. Beautiful. B+
5: Dowd Strength
What this entry from Mark on Twitter lacks in ease of pronunciation, it more than makes up for by referencing the hockey phenomenon of Dad Strength. Good anytime, but best for use within a few weeks of Dowd becoming a dad of a human or a new doggo. B-
6: Well N. Dowd
Karen’s entry via Twitter is, simply put, a revelation. No explanation necessary. A+
7: Dowdy with a Chance of Meatballs
I bet you never noticed that Nic Dowd actually looks a lot like Flint Lockwood.
This one may not be the most timely reference, but it opens up great opportunities for high art. B-
Honorable Mention: Mrs. Dowdfire
Another slightly dated reference (Mrs. Doubtfire, a.k.a. the formative movie of my youth, came out 26 years ago?!) that’s worth it for the visuals alone. Here’s Nic Dowd running through a restaurant to save future James Bond from choking on some HOT jambalaya. B-
Leave your best Dowd pun in the comments. The only rule is that it has to be better than Dowder Power, so the bar is very low.
