Capitals raise Stanley Cup banner before season opener

WASHINGTON-- The Washington Capitals wrapped up the celebration of their 2018 Stanley Cup championship by raising their first Cup banner prior to their season-opening game against the Boston Bruins at Capital One Arena on Wednesday.

The Capitals won the NHL championship for the first time in their 44-season history when they defeated the Vegas Golden Knights in a five-game Stanley Cup Final. The Cup-clinching, 4-3 win was in Las Vegas on June 7, so this was the first chance the Capitals got to celebrate the championship on home ice with their fans, who also filled the streets outside the arena for a viewing party.
Inside, fans with red glow sticks cheered when the house lights went dark to begin the ceremony. It opened with a video of highlights that included Stanley Cup Playoff wins against the Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning.
The emcee, Capitals radio play-by-play announcer John Walton, welcomed the crowd to "The conclusion of the greatest sports summer our city has ever known" before introducing members of the 2018-19 team.
The roster remained almost intact with 18 of the 20 players who dressed for the Game 5 win back with the Capitals. The only players who did not return were fourth-line center Jay Beagle (signed with Vancouver Canucks) and backup goaltender Philipp Grubauer (traded to Colorado Avalanche).

Defenseman Michal Kempny (upper body) and forward Tom Wilson (suspension) were not in the lineup Wednesday but skated in full uniform and stood on the blue line with their teammates. The last to be introduced was captain Alex Ovechkin, who was greeted with an ovation skating with the Stanley Cup above his head.
To chants of "Ovi! Ovi!", Ovechkin, the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, took a lap around the ice before placing the Cup on a table at center ice.
A video of the various ways the Capitals celebrated with the Cup this offseason was shown, with the crowd singing along to "We Are the Champions" by Queen.
"Now, the moment we've all been waiting for," Washington owner Ted Leonsis said before the banner was raised. "It will be here forever at Capital One Arena."
After the banner was pulled from a box at Washington's end of the ice, it was paused briefly while the Capitals gathered for a photo in front of it with the Cup. It then ascended to the rafters, and the players moved on to the business of trying to defend that championship.