A host of Washington Capitals alumni players showed they still have some game left at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Friday.
After the 2024-25 Capitals team jumped off the ice following their final practice before Opening Night, nearly forty of the club’s alumni split up into two teams for a friendly game in celebration of the franchise’s 50th anniversary season. Team Labre squared off with Team Langway in an 8-6 thriller that featured two goals and hijinks from the one and only, Craig Laughlin.
“I’ve got a disagreement with the coaching staff, Al, it’s as simple as that,” Laughlin told Monumental Sports Network’s Al Koken before the first puck was even dropped. “I can’t believe they’re not going to [start] their best player but I still hope the team…well, they can win, but as long as I get my points, I’m happy today.”
Laughlin, after sharing more of his distrust of Yvon Labre behind the bench, revealed that he would be playing in the game with another legend’s stick. The Monumental Sports Network color broadcaster jumped out onto the ice wielding a very familiar Bauer Supreme TotalOne twig.
“I’m using Alex Ovechkin’s stick today, so there’s gotta be some goals left in it,” Laughlin said.
The Great Eight must have left some of his magic in the stick as Laughlin, owner of 136 career NHL goals himself, found the back of the net in the second period. The goal sparked a comeback for Team Labre as they turned a 5-2 deficit into an eventual 8-6 victory, including another goal from Laughlin in the final minutes.
Other goal scorers in the game included Peter Bondra, Kevin Kaminski, Blair Stewart, Tomas Fleischmann, Matt Herr, Matt Pettinger, and Brian Willsie. The team’s alumni were joined on the ice by military members from the Capitals Warriors Hockey Team and TikTok influencers, The Hockey Guys.
Team Langway and Team Labre face off in our Alumni Game today at 2 PM!
The match is free to attend at @MedStarIceplex or available to stream on @MonSportsNet at https://t.co/CiOn5FEVfC#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/6sp27XRraP
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) October 11, 2024
Photos
📸: Katie Adler/RMNB
