Greetings, yet again, from a chilly East coast. How do you folks deal with this all winter? Honestly. You all get a ton of respect in my book for that.
Two days ago I was treated to a rather enjoyable game within Wells Fargo center which the Kings won 3-2. My full thoughts and feelings on the passionate Philly crowd and the area around it
can be found here.
Last night I braved the rain, snow, and Washington metro to head into Verizon Center to watch the Kings take on the Caps for the second game of a back to back.
Here are my thoughts on the area, the arena, the fans, and the game itself.
The Fans
While not quite as rabid and passionate as the Flyers faithful, the Capitals fans are their own unique group of enjoyable fans. They are passionate, but it's in a different way. They are a fun group and very engaged in the game. I felt like I was witness to a club meeting or a longtime group of friends watching a game. They have some pretty interesting and downright awesome traditions as well which make the interaction of the 6th man seem incredibly significant.
For example, the "Let's go Caps" chants are some of the loudest "Let's go [insert team here]" chants I've ever heard. Normally spurred on by mascot and arena horns, they are deafening. It feels like everyone in the stadium is in full voice. Not to mention at one point during the third period, in an attempt to rally the team during a T.V. timeout one fan in the lower bowl was isolated and led the entire arena in a call and response "Let's go Caps" chant. That was a pretty cool thing to behold honestly. Along with that they have the quirky habit of chanting "Who cares!?" after opposing team goals are announced.
Probably the best thing though was the "Unleash the fury!" bit that happened during another T.V. timeout in the third. I was completely baffled at what was happening. A video came up on the jumbotron and the fans stood in applause...for what seemed like no reason. Then they all started clapping at the same time, followed by a bellowing "Unleash the fury!" Cry. Again, this was the entire arena. As a player, I wouldn't be able to not recognize or acknowledge that kind of support. It almost had a, dare I say, Premier league feel to it. Very cool stuff to witness.
They were as respectful as could be also, we had no trouble, and credit them for making the trek out to Verizon center on a snowy Tuesday evening. The stadium slowly filled in throughout the night with a few empty seats here and there.
The Arena
The arena itself is unassuming. It is nestled into the busy streets of Washington D.C. right across from the Smithsonian Art Gallery, and you could walk right past it if you didn't know it was there. Walking around from the Metro to the entrance you almost think to yourself, "There is no way there is an arena there."
It is part of the charm I would say though. Where as most stadiums are highlights of cityscapes and skylines most times, Verizon Center is it's own treasure sort of buried in a Washington D.C. area with too much to do and too much to see. Entrances can be a little tough to find but there are a ton of them around. Food places within the arena seemed to offer your standard arena eatings. Two places of note are the Green Turtle and Hard Time's Cafe, which both offer a variety of American specialties like Pulled pork, chili, hot dogs, burgers and all sorts of other things.
Inside the views are great, the concourse is simple to navigate, and the rafters are adorned with plenty of banners from the Bullets and Caps alike.
The Area
One of the highlights of going to a Caps game has to be the surrounding area. It's Washington D.C! You could kill an entire day walking through the incredible area of history and museums easily. All of the major attractions are within walking distance and/or accessed via D.C.'s incredible metro system, which is both affordable and convenient. I have been to the D.C. Metro area four times now, and every time there is something new to find.
The ridiculous amount of food selection is also overwhelming, particularly around the arena. Seemed like every type of food and almost every price range was right in the same block as the stadium. With that in mind, the hot spots are pretty full, but you can easily find places tucked away with little to no wait due to the massive amount of selection. It's not like everyone trying to slam into one Yardhouse in L.A. Live before game time. We were able to walk into a bar/pub right next to the stadium twenty minutes before doors opened without a wait. There is also a bowling alley, and movie theatre directly across from the stadium. Again, so much to do, so little time. That tends to be my mantra when it comes to D.C.
The Game
Whew. Another nail biter really. From a Kings perspective the team doesn't have a whole lot to play for so it was understandable to some degree why they came out so slow. Second night of a back to back with their playoff lives all but secure by math, Washington dominated the right of play. The quick 2-0 lead was attributed to sloppy touches and a few mental missteps in the discipline department. Washington has a ton on the line and the Kings do not. Simple as that.
However, as the game wore on the Kings got their feet underneath them. The battle back from two goals down in the third showed strong character. It seemed like the team came out of the third knowing what needed to be done. Alec Martinez continues to be a monster, Dwight King scored his second in two games and had his fourth point in three games. Gaborik continues to impress. Quick has been a bit shaky in the back to back but still did enough to get the job done. Seems pretty status quo from the team as they head into the playoffs.
Alex Ovechkin is also an absolute treat to watch live. Especially on that power play. Seems that there are three certainties in life: Death, Taxes, and Alex Ovechkin's weak side one-timer on the power play.
Kuznetsov also looks like a future star in the making and I am really looking forward to he and Ovechkin together for sometime.
Also hope for the best with Jack Hillen, who had this scary collision with Ovechkin in overtime.
My one major question on the game was the controversial breakaway penalty on Mike Richards late in the third when Washington had the goalie pulled. Twitter lit up when it happened, and as always there are various opinions it seems. I, for one, was of the feeling that Richards had a clear path to the goal if he wasn't hooked. Ergo, he would have scored had the penalty not occurred. I know there are some who say the penalty was from the side and not from the back which negates any warranted penalty shot or automatic goal. However, I ask this: If he wasn't hooked, would Richards have scored? Seems likely.
Due to some funny circumstances, we were able to grab an NHL off-ice official and ask him about the play. He said that the play was off the referees discretion and he must not have felt Richards had a clear chance at goal.
Matter of opinion and judgement obviously!
In the end it didn't matter.
Just as I thanked Philly for a wonderful and memorable game in their stadium, I thank Washington and their fans as well for a solid trip. Another unique experience with a group of fans who have their own character and relationship with the team.
This is honestly spurring me on to go out and make a habit of experiencing more games with more fan bases down in the trenches. I think I might start planning my next road trip already...
Los Angeles Kings Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»