Gritty, Ovechkin's summer and an EBUG: The Top 10 viral stories of 2018

It was another year of big goals, jaw-dropping saves, spectacular assists and epic games around the NHL.
Along with all the incredible on-ice action in 2018, there were just as many amazing, funny and heartwarming moments off the ice.

Our Short Shifts team took the liberty of narrowing down the Top 10 viral stories of 2018, (including a few honorable mentions):

1. The World Meets Gritty

It's hard to imagine a National Hockey League - or a world - without Gritty now, but the Philadelphia Flyers mascot has only been with us a few months.
On Sept. 24,
the Flyers introduced their new mascot
and
everything changed
.
Since hitting the scene, the lovable orange furball has
appeared on "The Tonight Show,"
became a
tattoo trend
, had a feud with
the San Jose Sharks mascot
, made a grand
entrance into Wells Fargo Center
at the home opener, became
a Halloween costume
, nearly
got elected to public office
, drew praise from
Flyers great Bernie Parent
, battled some
youth hockey players
, became a
Time Magazine "Person of the Year" candidiate
, attended
a wedding
, nailed a
halfcourt shot at college basketball game
, played
Santa Claus
and even took
down some Santa impostors
.
That's a big year for most. Gritty did it all in less than four months.

2. Caps Win, Party with Cup

The Washington Capitals won the first Stanley Cup title in their history and did not get cheated on the celebration.
Starting from the moment 2018 Conn Smythe winner Alex Ovechkin led the team in a stirring rendition of
Queen's "We Are the Champions,"
the Capitals and the Cup were inseparable.
They took it to a
Washington Nationals game
, to Las Vegas
for the NHL Awards
, to
"The Tonight Show"
and plenty of other places.
Ovechkin
even took it to bed
.

3. The Accountant Turned Goalie

On March 29th, a 36-year-old accountant from Oak Park, Illinois had nothing else to do, so he pulled on a Chicago Blackhawks jersey and
shut out an NHL team for 14 minutes
.
Scott Foster became the first emergency backup goalie (
or EBUG
) to make a save in an NHL game.
After injuries struck Blackhawks goalie Anton Forsberg in warmups and backup
Collin Delia
in the third period, Foster was pressed into service. And he did not disappoint.
Foster stopped seven shots, including one terrifying one from Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien, and was named the game's First Star.

4. Vegas Does Things Differently

During their inaugural season, the Vegas Golden Knights proved to do things a little differently. While some teams may have proposals during games, in
Vegas they had the actual wedding
.
Steven Poscente had the whole thing planned out for his girlfriend Cari, who became his fiancee in the first period, his wife during the second intermission and an old married couple by the time the game ended.
The ceremony was officiated by none other than Elvis, of course.
It was a wild year for the Golden Knights, who also saw a
puppy named after their goalie
Marc-Andre Fleury
skyrocket to fame
,
Jeremy Roenick participate
in all of their fun, and a number of
showstopping
pregame
ceremonies
.
Also Chance the mascot
drove the Knight Rider car
to one of the games.

5. Hockey Is For Everyone

The nation of Kenya has one ice hockey team, but got some
added depth thanks to a pair of NHL All-Stars
.
Without another team to play in their home country, the Kenya Ice Lions met up with Pittsurgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby and Colorado Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon in Toronto for a game.
The result was the feel-good game of the year.
Watch: Sidney Crosby meets Kenya Ice Lions on Youtube

6. "We're The Devils!"

Hey, you gotta support your team.
Actor Patrick Warburton, who famously played rowdy New Jersey Devils fan David Puddy on "Seinfeld"
actually showed up to Game 4
of the team's Eastern Conference First Round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Warburton went all in, complete with face paint, the letter D painted on his chest and even let out his "We're the Devils!" line from the iconic sitcom.

7. Persistance Pays Off for Connolly

During the Washington Capitals Eastern Conference First Round back in April, forward Brett Connolly wanted to
give a puck to a young girl
named Keelan Moxley.
Things didn't go smoothly.
But after more than a few tries, the puck got to the 6-year-old Moxley and she and her family were guests of his at Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final, as well.
Of course,
Connolly scored much to the delight
of his new pal.
Connolly, however, still needs to
work on his fist bumps
.

8. Hurricanes Score With Celly

The Carolina Hurricanes are switching things up.
The team went with
a new goal song
and some
new postgame celebrations
and are having a great time doing it.
What have we learned from this? Hockey is fun. And, also, defenseman Dougie Hamilton
does a mean floss
.
But as the Hurricanes move forward and build new traditions, they are still
taking time to honor the past
.

9. A Burning Talent

Norman Shewchuk is a 52-year-old resident of Mundare, Alberta. He is also a quadriplegic with limited use of his hands.
But that doesn't stop him from
making some amazing works of art
using a magnifying glass and the Sun. His favorite subject? The Edmonton Oilers and captain Connor McDavid.

10. Coming Through in the Clutch

Ask and you shall receive.
Penguins fan
Kelly Sowatsky went viral
looking for a kidney donor. And it's a good thing she did.
Sowatsky got her message out to enough people that someone came through for her, a
fellow Penguins fan named Jeffrey Lynd
.
And while we are on the subject, another Penguins fan, Ashley Pritchard is currently
looking for a kidney for her father
, so if you know someone give her a call.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

• Phil Kessel in
  the Penguins cold tube
  is the greatest thing ever and Evgeni Malkin knows it.
  - Say it ain't so Joe. Brent Burns sat Joe Thornton down and took a
  razor to his teammate's epic beard
  .
  - He may be a rookie, but Brady Tkachuk's
  reaction face has already become a thing
  .
  - The Nashville Predators decided to steer into some criticism
  of a trio of banners they raised
  and it was quite funny.
  - Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner were
  in "The Nutcracker."
  No joke. This happened recently.