The Washington Capitals shut out the Boston Bruins 3-0 on Saturday, ending their 14th Mentors’ Trip on a positive note. The Capitals entered the matchup on a six-game losing streak, but played one of their most dominant games of the season at TD Garden to take the victory.
Inside the Capitals’ joyous locker room after the win, the team honored Alex Ovechkin for passing Wayne Gretzky for the most empty-net goals of all time (57). Tom Wilson and John Carlson also gave special shoutouts to three players who had good nights, but whose fathers recently passed away: TJ Oshie, Joel Edmundson, and Ovechkin.
Transcript
Spencer Carbery: Hands down, hands down our most complete game of the season today without a doubt. Great job everybody in here.
Tom Wilson: Alright, boys. Obviously a pretty special trip with the dads. Couple of guys in here who are huge team guys in here who are huge team guys had big goals tonight. Their dads aren’t with us anymore. We got Osh’s puck right here. I know it’ll be for Coach maybe Dickie will get it, but love you, bro.
Eddie (Joel Edmundson), game puck, battling your ass off.
One more.
John Carlson: And last but not least I gotta give you a different puck cuz I’m going to keep this one because you also did pass Wayne Gretzky for most empty-net goals.
Team collectively: WHOA
Alex Ovechkin: I need it, I need it.
John Carlson: This one will go in (my son) Lucca’s room. We’ll get you a new one.
The gesture comes after Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail, died a year ago due to illness. Oshie lost his father, Tim, in May 2021 and in his first game back from bereavement leave, he scored a hat trick. Edumundson’s father, Bob, died in January 2022 due to lung cancer.
If any of those players were having heavy thoughts during the trip, these thoughtful shoutouts hopefully helped heal those wounds and reminded them that they have a lot of support on the team.
Saturday’s victory pushed the Capitals’ record to 18-9-0 all-time with their mentors in attendance since 2008.
A moment to be grateful for pic.twitter.com/bkPp7ehr2M
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 9, 2024
