Excited Washington Capitals fans gathered outside Capitol One Arena ahead of the first game of the regular season Friday night, with the Caps taking on their rival Pittsburgh Penguins.
They showed up early to cheer on their favorite players, such as superstar Alex Ovechkin, chanting his nickname “Ovi, Ovi.” He comes into the season needing 73 more goals to surpass Wayne Gretzky’s record of 894.
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“He’s one of my favorite players and I got to fist bump him a year ago,” a fan told WTOP.
The players trickled in with cheers from the home crowd.
“This is my home team,” Ricky from Richmond, Virginia, said while sporting his red jersey. “We love the Caps. We love everything they stand for.”
Another fan from Richmond named Kenlee, 10, wants to see the team win their opening game, with a specific request: “I wanna see fighting.”
One fan said the Capitals are more than a team.
“It embodies the whole city. Everybody here is family,” said fan Kelly Williams.
The puck drops at 7:30 p.m.