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The Washington Capitals have finally gotten over the hump, besting the Penguins to advance to the conference finals at last. Despite dropping the last two games to the Lightning after going up 2-0, headlines in late May this year are more favorable than years past.
Instead of talking about how the Capitals shit the bed, we can talk about lighter subjects–like Alex Ovechkin’s habitual pre-game meal. How fun!
In a recent Players’ Tribune piece by Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik, the defenseman expresses his gratification for playing with two of the best players in the game’s history–Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh and currently Alex Ovechkin in Washington. The 37-year-old took joy in describing how polar opposite their approaches to the game are, with Sid being “incredibly focused and disciplined” and Ovi taking a more reckless abandon, imaginative approach to both his professional and personal life.
Brooks used his captain’s diet as a point of reference–“The guy’s diet is borderline inspiring.”
Via The Players’ Tribune:
We have a chef here who prepares our pregame meals. Ovi always orders the same thing — Mama Luccia, which is this pasta dish that’s like chicken parm with noodles, bread, cheese, the kind of thing you want to take a five-hour nap after eating. He makes a big display of it too. There’s no shame. It’ll be eleven in the morning, way before anyone is really thinking about eating lunch, and Ovi will walk into the dining area yelling, “Mama Luccia! Mama Luccia!” I don’t know. It’s weird, but it seems normal now.
Then, a few hours later, he’s outskating everyone on the ice, knocking guys on their asses and sniping pucks wherever he wants.
oh my god @ScottSAllen got photos of that Mamma Lucia's meal Alex Ovechkin has before every home game. It comes with four sauces. https://t.co/jMu1k0x0Wl pic.twitter.com/HXQyV2UI1e
— Dan Steinberg (@dcsportsbog) May 17, 2018
If the Capitals lose this series, we should all expect the hot take headline ‘Did Ovi’s Reckless Diet Contribute To The Self-Destruction Of The Capitals Yet Again?’ The internet, a blessing and a curse.
If you love hockey, go listen to our interview with NHL Hall Of Famer Jeremy Roenick on our new podcast, SO STUPENDOUS, which is now available on the iTunes Podcast app.