Capitals Celebrate 'The Oveckhin Effect' On Youth Hockey In DC Area

WASHINGTON, DC — The Washington Capitals will be celebrating Youth Hockey Night on Sunday, March 20, when the Dallas Stars play the Capitals at Capital One Arena in downtown D.C.

The first 5,000 youth hockey players to arrive wearing their youth team's apparel for the 5 p.m. game will receive Capitals-themed stick tape.

Youth hockey players from the region will get to greet Capitals players during pregame arrivals. The starting lineup display will feature images of Capitals players in their youth, and in-game and social content will highlight Capitals youth hockey programming.

At the first intermission, Mites on Ice will be composed of players from the Hampton Roads area. The second intermission Mites on Ice will be composed of players from Potomac Lady Patriots.

After the Capitals game, the Maryland 14U Tier II Champion Montgomery Blue Devils will play the Delaware 14U Tier II Champion Delaware Ducks.

Dubbed “The Ovechkin Effect,” the D.C. area has seen youth hockey participation grow by more than 200 percent since Alex Ovechkin arrived in D.C. in 2005, according to the Capitals.

On Tuesday, Ovechkin passed Jaromir Jagr for third all time on the NHL goal-scoring list, scoring career goal No. 767 at home against the New York Islanders. Only Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe have scored more NHL goals than Oveckhin.

On Feb. 10, Joe Snively from Herndon recorded two goals and one assist in the Capitals 5-2 win over the Montreal Canadiens and became the third Virginia-born player to score an NHL goal.

Snively trained at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in Arlington during his youth and was a participant in the Little Caps program. He originally signed with the Capitals as a free agent on March 18, 2019 and was re-resigned to a two-year contract extension on March 16.

The Capitals Hockey School program gives elementary and middle schools street hockey equipment, a custom written curriculum and staff training. Capitals youth hockey development staff visit classrooms and provide instruction.

Since the 2016-17 season, the Capitals have donated equipment to 1,238 schools in the D.C. area and engaged more than 750,000 students with the game.

The Capitals have refurbished or built 14 rinks across D.C., Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia. The Capitals Youth Hockey Development staff also holds clinics in conjunction with the refurbishment of each rink.

Fans can purchase tickets for Sunday’s game at a special Youth Hockey Night website set up by the Capitals.

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