WASHINGTON — Washington Capitals fans sacrificed their stubble Tuesday with the hope that they’ll be fully bearded again when the Stanley Cup is earned.
Only five teams in NHL history have won more games than the 56 tallied by the Washington Capitals this season. The President’s Trophy winners will host the Philadelphia Flyers Thursday in their playoff opener. At a Caps pep rally at the studio of radio station 106.7 The Fan, show hosts and fans received professional shaves as part of the annual Beard-a-thon charity that the Capitals and many other NHL teams sponsor.
Beard-a-thon capitalizes on the tradition of hockey players refusing to shave as long as their teams are in the playoffs to benefit charities around the league. Money that the Capitals and their fans raise will go to the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program for disabled veterans; USA Warriors representatives attended the rally and joined hosts Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier on the air.
The midday timing didn’t deter hardcore fans like John Gethins, who took off work to come get a shave. Gethins has been a Capitals fan since his father got two free tickets from his job in 1977.
“He had no idea how hockey worked,” Gethins said. “All I remember is guys with big hair and big old mutton chops. So that was it.”