Alex Ovechkin scored two goals against the Ottawa Senators, but he wasn’t the only Alexander The Great out on the ice, Tuesday. (Sorry, Ovi.)
During the first intermission, the Capitals held one of two mites-on-ice games. The Restons Raiders’ Alexander Mroczka scored a goal so amazing that once you see it, you will never forget it.
It was Gretzky-esque.
The Washington Capitals beat the Florida Panthers, and that’s fine, but you’re here to see children dressed up like turkeys and skating around like turkeys with their heads cut off, except cuter.
That’s precisely what happened during Tuesday’s intermission as the Caps brought back their beloved Thanksgiving tradition of trying and failing to get adolescents to feel embarrassed. They can’t. They’re immune. Gobble gobble.
By Peter Hassett 2 months ago
During the first intermission of every Capitals game, local youth hockey players take the ice and participate in a mites-on-ice game. It’s adorable. Everyone loves it.
Wednesday, the postgame interview became just as entertaining as the game. Jackson Friedlander scored two goals and afterward spoke to in-arena host Sandra Draganoiu as the prestigious Mite of the Nite.
Jackson was very precocious, very excited, and very open about his life.
When asked who his favorite player was, Jackson said it was Alex Ovechkin. Then he told the audience about his exotic pet.
“I have a tarantula named Michael,” Jackson said. “He just had two crickets on Monday and one on Sunday. He has a big appetite.”
So do I for the full transcript of this interview.
Keelan Moxley melted our hearts during the Capitals’ Stanley Cup run. Friday, the adorable seven-year-old returned to Capital One Arena to participate as a mite-on-ice.
“She obviously had a great time but was really nervous to skate on the same ice as the Caps,” Keelan’s dad Andrew Moxley told me.
Keelan first gained fame during Game Two of the Capitals’ first-round series against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In a viral video, Capitals forward Brett Connolly tried, tried, and tried again to get a warmup puck to Keelan. Connolly became infuriated as a parent gave the pucks he intended to Keelan to two other boys.
The Capitals’ Thanksgiving Eve game gave us something we can all be grateful for: the Mites on Ice in turkey costumes.
During the first intermission, local area youth hockey players took the ice and proved that turkeys really can fly, even with giant costumes weighing them down.
By Brennin Weiswerda 1 year ago
The mites on ice played a short game during the second intermission of the Washington Capitals’ 5-2 win over the St. Louis Blues.
When one lucky mite scored a goal, he celebrated in classic Capitals fashion: an awesome bird walk celly.
By Brennin Weiswerda 1 year ago
After a period of playing the Toronto Maple Leafs and serving not-poutine, the Capitals continued their Canadian Heritage Night celebrations by giving the Mites on Ice a little festive wardrobe change.
They sported some warm-looking flannel as little lumberjack children.
By Elyse Bailey 3 years ago
My varsity basketball coach once singled me out during a film session my senior year. I hit a three pointer on the baseline and then pumped my fist all the way back up the court. He re-wound the tape and played it back 10 times in a row, trying to humiliate me in front of my teammates. “Act like you’ve done it before, IAN!”
NOPE.
That’s why this tiny dude is my new favorite hockey player.
On Thanksgiving Eve at Verizon Center, the Capitals played host to the St. Louis Blues and the organization went all out to celebrate the impeding holiday. Alex Ovechkin got out his figurative carving knife and feasted on the average goaltending in net. And all-throughout the night, the Caps transformed their intermission activities into a celebration of America’s second favorite bird.
On Sunday morning, the Washington Capitals and the Reston Town Center skating pavilion hosted the Mites on Ice Outdoor Classic. Some of Northern Virginia’s cutest youth hockey players from ages 4 to 7 donned Caps jerseys and played puck with some pros. There was a tournament of half-ice games, a full-ice championship game, and– from what we hear– some adorable goal celebrations.
As a bonus, the Caps also sent out alumni Alan May and Peter Bondra to give a skills demonstration, skate with fans, and sign autographs after the tournament.
I was sick with the flu and unwilling to spend the morning in the cold rain, so RMNB buds Nour H. and Lindsey N. pinched in to capture the event for me via photos. Thanks, ladies.
