Behind the scenes of Alex Ovechkin's surprise appearance at a Hershey Bears playoff game, which one player deemed 'the best moment of my career'

"On September 25, 2005, Ovechkin, a 20-year-old rookie, took the ice at Giant Center in a preseason game as the Caps defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 before 6,216 fans."

"Twenty years, six months, twenty-nine days later, Ovechkin made his return to Hershey, but this time as a fan, driving up and attending the team's home playoff game against the Bridgeport Islanders."

"During that span between appearances, Ovechkin won the Stanley Cup (2018), nine Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophies (NHL record), three Hart Memorial Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, the Art Ross Trophy, the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL's Rookie of the Year."

""Well, like, I remember, actually, he told me and my brother, he might come to Hershey," Ilya Protas told RMNB at Hershey's Breakdown Day on Friday. "I was like, 'No way!' I'm probably going to be shaking before the game because you see Big Man in the stands. I was like, 'Don't (joke)! Get real!' [because] I know how much boys are going to love it, how much is going to give (us) more energy.""

Alex Ovechkin played one preseason game in Hershey on September 25, 2005, when the Washington Capitals defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-2 before 6,216 fans. Twenty years, six months, and twenty-nine days later, he returned to Hershey as a fan for the team’s home playoff game against the Bridgeport Islanders. During the time between appearances, he won the Stanley Cup in 2018, nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophies, three Hart Memorial Trophies, three Ted Lindsay Awards, the Art Ross Trophy, the Mark Messier Leadership Award, and the Calder Memorial Trophy. The idea of returning to Hershey surfaced late in the Capitals’ season after Ilya Protas was recalled and posted four points in the final four games while spending time with Ovechkin off the ice.

Read at RMNB