Late starts in the playoffs have an impact on how some Caps fans watch games. For example: take five-year-old Ben from Cleveland, Ohio, who had to go to bed during the latter stages of game five on Friday night because it was past his bedtime. No matter, the next morning Mom restarted the game for Ben as soon as he woke up.

That’s a good way to start your day.

Photo by Tom Turk | tomturk.com | piraticalphotography.com

Third line checker Joel Ward isn’t usually on the power play, but last night in the second period head coach Adam Oates played a hunch on the Capitals first extra-man advantage of the game.

“My name was called and I just went out there,” Ward said after the game. “I was excited to be out there. I just tried to pay attention to the details and get in my spot.”

He got in his spot, alright. After Nicklas Backstrom — at the right circle — passed to Marcus Johansson behind the net, the young Swede immediately dished to Ward for a one-timer. Tic-Tac-Joel, as Craig Laughlin lovingly put it.

It was Ward’s first playoff goal since his epic game-seven, overtime game-winner against the Boston Bruins last season that sent the Capitals into the second round.

To celebrate, Ward threw his hands in the air, giving off some sassy body language that translates to some form of “YESSSSSHHHHHHH.” Then Ward noticed something coming towards him out of the corner of his eye at high speed. He braced himself.

Alex Ovechkin, author of some of the most epic goal celebrations you will ever see in the NHL, was very, very excited that his teammate scored. Maybe too excited. Ovechkin jumped a few feet in the air as Ward tried to catch him like an over-exuberent puppy. Later, Ward admitted he was scared Ovechkin might injure him.

“Yeah, I just didn’t want to fall and hit my head on the ice or something,” Ward told RMNB’s Chris Gordon. “I was just trying to brace myself because [Ovi's] a big body over there.”

It wouldn’t be the first time Ovechkin’s celebrations scared his teammates. After Sergei Fedorov’s game-winning goal in game seven of the 2009 series against the Rangers, Ovechkin tackled the Russian vet to the ice with glee. “He was so excited”, Fedorov said of the celebration way back when. “When he jumped on me, I was like, Whoa, careful! But when we crashed into the boards, he absorbed most of the impact, so it was O.K.” The Ward situation was no different.

“Obviously, I was just excited to get one, especially on the power play and special teams,” Ward continued. “That’s the name of the game in the playoffs. He’s excited. I’m excited. Everybody’s excited.”

Yes, but let’s not hurt each other, you guys!

Photo credit: AP

Additional reporting by Chris Gordon.

Mathieu Perreault may get all the attention for his post-game #PerryCellys, but don’t sleep on Joel Ward, who couldn’t stop jumping on the bench after Mike Ribeiro’s clutch game-winning goal in overtime of game five.

JUMP! JUMP!

It’s becoming a tradition — one that I truly enjoy. When the Caps win in overtime, Mathieu Perreault freaks out like a 5-year-old who has inhaled one of those giant pixie stick straws and starts flailing around erratically. Perry started the celebration thing after a shootout win over Winnipeg, and he did it again after the Caps beat the Islanders. When Eric Fehr scored in OT to give Washington a win in their final game of the regular season, Perreault delivered.

Yes. (GIF by welshhockeyfan)

Perreault goes crazy, Chimera does not.

The Washington Capitals pulled a huge shootout victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night. Alex Ovechkin was superb, Braden Holtby was solid, and Mathieu Perreault was pleased. Very pleased. After Ovi clinched the 4-3 win in the skills competition, CSN’s cameras panned to Washington’s bench. The Caps were happy. Perry stood out, pumping his fists manically while letting out a primal scream.

Hockey is great.

Would not surprise me to learn Perreault has an upper body injury.

— Neil Greenberg (@ngreenberg) March 31, 2013

MSNBC shows a man at White House gate wearing a NB19 shirsey (Screen-capture by Ian Oland)

In the wake of the news that Osama bin Laden has been killed, people — particularly young people — gathered around the White House. Since game two of the Washington Capitals’ series with the Tampa Bay Lightning had just ended when the news broke, a good number of fans were in presence.

Here are the eery photos of Caps fans sharing the experience with each other.

Photos

President Barack Obama walks through the Cross Hall to the Blue Room to deliver OBL news to the nation, while a staffer in an Ovechkin jersey hangs in the background. (Photo by Jason Reed of Reuters)

General photo of the crowd via RMNB’s Chris Gordon.

Caps fan standing beside Geraldo Rivera. (via @pattymaryniak)

A man in an Ovechkin jersey stands by two members of the military just outside the White House gates. (Photo by Clydeorama)

A person wearing a Backstrom jersey holds an American flag atop a tree. (Photo by Clydeorama)

Caps fan sitting atop a statue. (Photo by Clydeorama)

Teamwork! A fan in an Ovechkin jersey gives a boost to a young man climbing a light post to hang an American flag. (via Jenn Rubenstein)

A fan – wearing one of the red foam hockey stick hats that the Caps gave out during the first round – attempts to hang said flag. (Via Jenn Rubenstein)

Photo of Caps fans Natasha Hashemi and Andrew McCeney by White House gate. (via @acjzone)

Guy in Nats hat and a person wearing Ovechkin jersey to the far right. (via @thinkprogress)

Fan in Ovi jersey and Caps hat at Lafeyette Park. (via @lindsapple)

Caps fan Quinlan Brennan (right) and a friend pose in front of the White House.

Jenn Wurzbacher poses after the crowd disperses.

A group poses a few blocks away from the White House. (Photo by Liz Elkind)

A Caps fans raises his arms to celebrate the news. (Photo credit: Liz Elkind)

Liz Elkind captures a Caps fan in the streets of DC amid the chaos.

CNN White House correspondent Ed Henry admits to being on TV with a Caps polo on.

Here is Kyle’s video:

Glorious stills after the jump!

Keith Aucoin with the familiar “Are you not entertained?” pose.

Andrew Gordon waves at his– dear God look at those arms!  It’s like someone transplanted horses’ legs on his shoulders.

Alexandre Giroux has been doing this for three days straight.

Probably because it looks so cool.

Imagine a Kid Rock song playing in the background.

Center Andrew Joudrey incognito as a goalie.

I would do anything to get ahold of Braden Holtby’s video camera from the last week.

Bryan Helmer, portrayed here by Ted Nugent, celebrates with his daughter.

Chris Bourque holds aloft the Calder, seemingly undamaged.

Things take an odd turn as Chris Bourque’s teammates decide the celebration must continue shirtlessly.

BONUS:  Andrew Gordon Hugs Someone’s Grandmother
RMNB reader Sarah shares her celebration story:

I’m a fan of your site and follow you on twitter. A hockey fan, I’m from the Hershey area. I was in attendance at game six and also made it to Giant Center last night for the celebration. I love that you guys got Andrew Gordon to blog for you – it’s easy to see he’s genuinely nice. Last night he proved that and did something so sweet that I felt like I should share.

Yesterday happened to be my grandmother’s 80th birthday. A long time season ticket holder, she’s one of Gordon’s biggest fans. After waiting over an hour in line to see him, not only did he sign a card saying happy birthday to her but I asked him to turn around a wave to her in the stands (as she was unable to stand and wait in line with me). He initially waved to her, but then he got up out of his chair, climbed over the boards, and got up onto the visitor’s bench to reach over to hug her. It absolutely made her day, and I was able to get a photograph of it for her to remember.

What a boy scout!  Dude is making the rest of us look terrible by comparison.  Maybe we can dig up some dirt on Gordo to even it out.  We’re hovering dangerously close to Tiger Beat territory lately.