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Washington Capitals

5 Reasons to Attend a Washington Capitals Hockey Game



The District's Capital One Arena is home to the 2018 Stanley Cup Champions.

Attending a Washington Capitals game is a time-honored tradition in DC's Penn Quarter/Chinatown neighborhood. Thousands of fans flock to the Capital One Arena 41 times between October and April, rocking the red to root on the Caps. In 2018, the team won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. As the team embarks on another quest for the Cup, check out our favorite reasons to attend a game. You can also purchase specially discounted tickets that come with a Capitals hat.

01

The Caps are one of the most successful franchises in the NHL.

Over the last 15 seasons, the Caps have qualified for the playoffs 13 times, with a Stanley Cup championship to boot. The team has also won the President's Trophy, which goes to the most successful regular season team, three times in that span. This spectacular run is primarily owed to the tremendous, long-standing success of NHL legend Alex Ovechkin and his underappreciated sidekick, center Nicklas Backstrom.

02

The team is stacked with stars.

In addition to the incredible goal-scoring prowess of Ovechkin, who is hot on the tails of Wayne Gretzky for most goals scored in NHL history, the Capitals are also fortunate to employ star power in the form of defenseman John Carlson, wingers Tom Wilson and T.J. Oshie, center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Darcy Kuemper, who helped the Colorado Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022. All of this talent means the Caps are one of the most watchable teams in hockey, making every game on the schedule a must-see. Be on the lookout for special theme nights as well.

03

The fans are top-notch

Washington Capitals

The atmosphere both inside and outside of Capital One Arena is always filled with excitement – the arena is considered one of the loudest and most boisterous stadiums in the NHL. Roughly 19,000 red-clad fans pack the arena for each Caps game, losing their minds for every Ovechkin goal or brilliant Backstrom pass. Fans young and old absolutely adore this team and its stars, and the atmosphere is one of the best of any regular sporting event in the District.

04

Hockey is among the most exciting sports to watch

Photo by Jess Rapfogel

Photo by Jess Rapfogel

Many sports fans will tell you that hockey, specifically the NHL brand, is the most entertaining sport to witness live. The game’s non-stop action, featuring speedy and skilled skating, gorgeous puck-handling, high-impact hits and goalies that stretch like ballerinas to make saves, will put you at the edge of your seat throughout the 60-minute game. In addition, there’s nary a bad view from Capital One Arena’s seats.

05

There are plenty of things to do before and after the game

Penn Quarter/Chinatown is one of the liveliest neighborhoods in the District. There are dozens of restaurants near Capital One Arena, as well as the shopping hub that is CityCenterDC. The Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery are housed in the same building across the street, while the National Gallery of Art is a short walk away. Have another night in the city? Check out a play at Ford’s Theatre or Shakespeare Theatre Company.

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