Home / News / Alex Ovechkin encouraged fans to throw hats for Erik Gustafsson, went on floor to take postgame photo of Gus

Alex Ovechkin encouraged fans to throw hats for Erik Gustafsson, went on floor to take postgame photo of Gus

By Ian Oland

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December 17, 2022 11:35 pm

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.

NBC Sports Washington cameras found Ovechkin at the bench making an arm signal to fans to throw their hats.

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.

Ovi then laid on the locker room floor on his belly to take a photo of Gus while he did the strength test.

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.

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