After soaring to a 5-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild, the Washington Capitals celebrated their victory in fierce fashion. They invited an actual, real-life bald eagle into their locker room.
Penny, who earlier in the night participated in a sometimes nervous ceremonial puck drop, arrived with Mary Beth Gosnell from the American Eagle Foundation calmly perched on her handler’s forearm.
“Holy s***,” one player can be heard saying as the pair made their entrance into the team’s newly renovated room.
“What’s her name?” someone asks.
“Penny,” replies Mary Beth.
The team then roars for “Kenny,” possibly because they didn’t hear Penny’s name correctly or were excited that the eagle’s name was so close to their skills coach, Kenny McCudden.
Dylan Strome then correctly observes from his stall that “We’re gonna need that bird at every game.” Strome had a season high four points (2g, 2a) while Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season, the 898th of his career.
After some more ogling of the bird, several players decide to get a closer look for a “group picture!”
Brandon Duhaime appears to immediately regret his decision as Penny looks over as he approaches.
“You don’t trust me with her?” Mary Beth says to a freaked-out Duhaime, who eyes the bird suspiciously and has his fists clenched as if he were preparing for the fight of his life.
“Oh, she’s staring at you, man,” Tom Wilson observes.
“She’s staring you down, man,” Nic Dowd says to his linemate.
And then it happens. The group of fearless hockey players back up in unison as Penny shakes her head and opens her beak.
“Ohhhh!” Dowd replies.
“YO, WOAH,” Duhaime says, even more freaked out. “Woah woah woah.”
Penny further adjusts herself.
“She’s just shaking her feathers out,” explains Mary Beth.
“All right, everyone smile quick before we…,” Duhaime says trailing off.
I presume he means get eaten.
Penny was at the game to celebrate the debut of the Capitals’ new Screaming Eagle third jerseys. She’s been with the American Eagle Foundation since 2016, arriving after being rescued from a trap in Pennsylvania. Penny lost several toes and talons in the incident, but has become a great educational ambassador in the years since.
It was wonderful having you at the game, Penny! Thank you for your service.
