Erik Gustafsson became the third defenseman in Capitals history to score a hat trick in the Capitals’ 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday. While fans in attendance wanted to see history and an Alex Ovechkin goal, The Gus Bus’s career-best performance seemed to make up for that.
Gus’s moment also seemed to take pressure off Ovechkin, who could be seen enthusiastically rooting for his teammate all night.
For instance, when the Swede hit the back of the net for the third time, Ovechkin became Gus’s biggest cheerleader from the bench.
When Captain Ovi says throw the hats YOU THROW THE HATS 🧢
A hat-trick for Gustafsson!!!@Capitals up 5-2 pic.twitter.com/poCBwPD8mP
— NBC Sports Capitals (@NBCSCapitals) December 18, 2022
NBC Sports Washington cameras found Ovechkin at the bench making an arm signal to fans to throw their hats.
throw those hats for the gus bus pic.twitter.com/90jq6A7F1f
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 18, 2022
Gustafsson smiled and laughed when he was told by NBC Sports Washington’s Al Koken postgame that Ovechkin did that for him.
“No, I didn’t see that,” Gustafsson said. “I kinda blacked out there for a little bit.”
Ovechkin didn’t stop there. Inside the locker room, Ovechkin awarded Gus the team’s large yellow rope.
Only love here on the Gus Bus#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/LWpM70YkK4
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 18, 2022
Ovi then laid on the locker room floor on his belly to take a photo of Gus while he did the strength test.
all about the angles, babes https://t.co/yzjjoUbY09 pic.twitter.com/2lJupsw8q5
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 18, 2022
How many future Hockey Hall of Famers do things like this? Ovi is one of a kind and for more reasons than just the goals.
