The Hockey Stop

As a Caps fan growing up in the D.C. area, losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins was as predictable as the Cherry Blossoms sprouting every spring. And to add insult to injury, bus loads of Pens fans would make the four-hour trip from Western Pennsylvania to the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland (in 1997 the Caps moved to the Verizon Center in downtown Washington) to cheer on their team to victory over the Caps.

Pittsburghers in Mario Lemieux or Jaromir Jagr jerseys hoisting tin foil Stanley Cups would annually fill up half the arena, making the Capital Centre a neutral venue.

When the Caps lost in seven games to the Pens two years ago, it brought back many painful playoff memories for Caps fans. Washington lost to Pittsburgh in the playoffs in 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 2000 and 2001. The only playoff series win against the Pens came in 1994.

Caps fans had to watch Pittsburgh skate to Stanley Cup championships in 1991, 1992 and 2009 while the farthest the Caps have gotten is the Stanley Cup Finals in 1998 when they were swept by Detroit.

This lopsided history is why it was so satisfying to see not only the Caps beat the Pens 3-1 at a rainy Winter Classic under the lights at Heinz Field, but also to see so many Caps fans in the stands. In fact, there were around 30,000 Washingtonians who made the trek to Pittsburgh, creating something of a D.C. invasion in the Steel City.

I read that one downtown bartender remarked that it was the most out-of-town fans he had ever seen for a game. And they were rockin' the red and were just as noisy and at times even louder than the 40,000 Pens fans. Of course they had more reason to celebrate with their team doing so well on the ice.

After so many seasons of frustration and disappointment at the hands of the hated Pens, for one night at least it was time for the Pens to get a taste of their own medicine and for the Caps to savor a big win over their arch rivals.