WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Capitals hosted their annual Pride Night against the Florida Panthers on Saturday, with lots of festivities to mark the occasion.
Several Capitals players sported Pride Tape on their sticks ahead of the matchup, including John Carlson, Logan Thompson, Dylan Strome, Connor McMichael, Nic Dowd, Trevor van Riemsdyk, Brandon Duhaime, and Hendrix Lapierre.
While the NHL has prohibited teams from sporting specialty jerseys during warmups since 2023—a move made after several players declined to wear Pride-themed sweaters—the league eventually overturned a ban on the use of Pride Tape, allowing players to show their support on the ice.
“It was great,” Nic Dowd said of Saturday’s event. “Every year we’ve put this on, guys lean into it and support it, and I thought it was another good night. I thought the Caps did a great job of showcasing it.”
The Capitals switched their social media icons to a special logo debuted for the occasion, reading “All Caps, All Love”
Fans also found their own ways to celebrate, including signs and custom t-shirts.
Even Slapshot had a special outfit for the celebration.
This year’s Pride Night comes amid the breakout success of queer television show “Heated Rivalry.” The show, which portrays a romance between two male hockey stars, has become an unexpected cultural phenomenon outside of traditional hockey circles, bringing a new audience of LGBTQ+ fans to the sport.
The Capitals paid tribute to the music of “Heated Rivalry” multiple times during the game: Wolf Parade’s “I’ll Believe in Anything” played during a stoppage in play early in the first period, and Harrison’s cover of t.A.T.u.’s “All the Things She Said” got a full video sing-along before the third.
During player arrivals on Saturday, the Caps showcased the Pride logo outside of the locker room, with Strome even sporting a rainbow Capitals beanie.
After warmups, the team welcomed Dana Nearing of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC to perform the national anthem.
And while not officially part of the Pride Night celebrations, the Capitals also welcomed players from the Montreal Victoire and New York Sirens for a ceremonial puck drop ahead of the PWHL’s Takeover Tour game on Sunday. The puck drop included out players Marie-Philip Poulin (who is married to Victoire forward Laura Stacey) Jaime Bourbonnais (who is dating Ottawa Charge forward Emily Clark).
Head coach Spencer Carbery emphasized the extra importance Pride Night has to the team’s coaching staff, which includes openly queer video coach Emily Engel-Natzke. Engel-Natzke became the first full-time female coach in the NHL when she was hired in 2022 and has been married to her wife Spencer since 2019.
“Loved [Pride Night],” Carbery said postgame. “Always a huge supporter of everything that we do as an organization and everybody knows how important that is not only to our organization, but to our coaching staff as well. So great night to celebrate pride. Wish we could have had the win for the night.”
The Capitals are auctioning off a selection of rainbow-taped sticks and pucks, as well as additional team memorabilia, in honor of Pride Night. Proceeds will benefit both the Wanda Alston Foundation (an LGBTQ+ housing charity) and the MSE Foundation, and the auction will run through 3 pm on January 22.
