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Dulles, Va. - On Dec. 9, the Washington Capitals invited season-ticket members and their families to the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum for a signing session with the Capitals’ team.

Among those season-ticket members at the event was Zach Wolpoff, who toted around a giant, yellow foam hat in the shape of the number eight. The 20-year-old relic has become a symbol of Wolpoff and his brother’s enduring Capitals’ fandom.

“It started in Ovechkin’s rookie season,” Wolpoff explained. “He was in a seven-game goal slump, which at the time was his longest, and my brother and I, we were bummed, we were young kids, and our uncle said, ‘Hey, I have an idea. Let’s get something to get Ovi going.’ So he thought of this idea of getting yellow mattress foam and cutting it in the shape of an eight and putting it on our heads.”

Wolpoff and his brother, who have had season tickets right by the glass on and off since 2005, debuted their foam eights on Dec. 3, 2005, against the New York Rangers – the same night Ovechkin scored to end his slump.

The brothers only break out their good luck charms for special occasions now, one of those being the Gr8 Chase.

“As the goal streak continues, we’ll definitely start bringing them out,” Wolpoff said. “We want him to know we’re here and we still support him after all these years.”

Having met Ovechkin at past season-ticket holder events, Wolpoff was most excited to get Logan Thompson’s signature, noting Thompson’s left-handed goaltending technique as something he admires about the Capitals’ newcomer.

“It was fun and exciting to see all the fans and sit out there to sign for a couple of hours,” Thompson said of his first team signing event and meeting Wolpoff. “It was super exciting to meet him. He was really excited.”

For other season-ticket holders, it was nice to reconnect with old faces. Lars Eller and Jakub Vrana were welcomed back to the District this season with open arms by season ticket members, who lined up to get items from the Stanley Cup run signed by the two.

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“I don’t think there was many of them that didn’t say, ‘It was good to see you back,’” Vrana said. “Obviously I don’t take that for granted and I appreciate it a lot. The fans just don’t forget; it’s a great feeling and it was a fun night.”

Among the numerous namesake jerseys Vrana signed Monday night was one from Christina Scarmaes. In her eleventh year as a season-ticket holder, Scarmaes wanted to surprise her daughter, Lily, with a signature from her favorite Capital because Lily couldn’t be at the event in person.

“Vrana is definitely Lily’s favorite player – big time,” Scarmaes said with her eldest son by her side. “She’s now almost sixteen and she’s his biggest fan. We told her we don’t know if we can get her a signature and she doesn’t know that I pulled this out of her closet, so she doesn’t know yet that we did this.”

Interacting with and making memories for season-ticket members like Wolpoff and Scarmaes is a way for the Capitals’ roster to give back to those who have supported them over the years. Whether he’s signing a foam eight or a Capitals jersey, Dowd doesn’t take the opportunity to socialize with fans for granted.

“The fans are always nice and polite,” Dowd said. “They’re always happy to be there, and it gives them an opportunity to meet some of the players that they see on the ice without all the equipment and everything face to face. It was a good experience.”

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