Fans will get invested in the mini-games and other events happening on the jumbotron during breaks in NHL action, and the Capitals are no different.
WASHINGTON -- During media timeouts and breaks during Washington Capitals games, the jumbotron at Capital One Arena features fanfare, minigames and promotions to pass the time as the ice crew clears the snow off the ice -- and it's not just for the fans.
Many players have a set agenda during those stoppages, as some choose to skate, deal with equipment maintenance or take a water break. A select few, though, will turn their attention to the big screen and tune into the action.
"Yeah, during timeouts, I have nothing else to do," former Capitals blueliner Erik Gustafsson laughed. "I want them to start doing the look-alike thing, I like that one."
While the main focus is always on the game, and the score can have a big reflection of the mood on the bench, players are also aware of the fact that hockey is not just a sport or a business: it's a live event, a form of entertainment in which they're the main attraction.
Still, that doesn't stop them from joining in on the fun when they can, as the festivities also include tributes to their teammates or salutes to troops. The different attractions also oddly help players keep track of time as they often occur at the same moment of each game.
Trevor van Riemsdyk admitted that with around 10 minutes left in the third period, he will look up because he knows there will be an event that brings back one of his favorite childhood memories: The Top Shot Challenge, where shooters try and hit all nine targets before time runs out.
"I feel like every time I look at the jumbotron, that one's going on, which is a pretty fun one, adding, "It used to be my favorite thing up in Lake Placid. I remember when you do a tournament there, they used to have that thing and you want to do it all the time... Good use of the jumbotron."
For goaltenders, it's a bit different, as it usually depends on whether or not they're in the net or backing up. Darcy Kuemper and Charlie Lindgren will both glance when they're not playing but when they're between the pipes.
Lindgren's go-to is also the "Top Shot Challenge," though he's also a fan of Chik-Fil-A's "Spot the Cow" contest, where fans use a broadcast camera to find the cow mascot in the stands for a chance at a gift card.
"When I'm backing up, during the timeouts, I'll look up and my favorite is the shooting at the targets. I love seeing the people, the different shots and if they can make it... it's just something that keeps my mind into it, the jumbotron just to see what's going on... I try to find the cow every now and then [too].
"When I'm playing, I don't pay attention to it as much, but when I'm backing up, I get some good laughs out of it."
At the end of the day, it's all just a part of the show, and it's also something that brings the players back down to Earth.
Even Matt Irwin, who always takes the time to skate and gets his legs moving during the timeouts, admitted that he'll break away from his routine to glance at the big screen every now and then to get a taste of the fan's perspective.
"You don't want to miss that excitement," he pointed out with a grin.