It was mid-March and Karl Alzner was on the Internet. Like most twentysomethings, he looked up silly videos on YouTube to kill time. He stumbled across one from early last year — it was of Peter Dill, a basketball player for Seton Hall. Dill scored a single basket in his two years playing for the school, but he did get very excited when his team scored. Alzner played the clip for Mathieu Perreault.

“The guy would just go crazy, pretend he had Thor’s Hammer and he’d be smashing the ground,” Alzner told me Saturday afternoon. “Perry, I could just see his eyes, like ‘this is awesome!’”

“We should do that after we win games,” Perreault responded.

A couple weeks later, Alex Ovechkin put the puck past Jhonas Enroth during a shootout in Buffalo, ensuring a 4-3 victory for Washington. Perry followed through on his agreement with Alzner, letting out a primal scream, pumping his fists, and shaking on the bench. CSN’s cameras zoomed in, GIFs were made, and a meme was born — all within about 20 minutes.

“I didn’t know if he was gonna do it or not — but he did,” Alzner said.

“I get excited when we win!” Perreault added. “It’s just fun.”

A few days after Perreault’s inaugural freakout, the Capitals won another game in the shootout, this time over the New York Islanders, and Matty P. reacted with a manic windmill thing. The Internet took note again. But according to Alzner, he was also going wild at the time, doing some air-archery, a nod to one of Dill’s moves at Seton Hall. No one saw, though, and Alzner gave up trying to match Perreault.

“He’s doing it good — and I haven’t been,” said Alzner.

In the final game of the regular season, Perreault brought back his original convulsing celebration after the Caps beat the Bruins in overtime. Then, when Mike Ribeiro tallied nine minutes and 24 seconds into OT on Friday, Perreault went insane for the forth time.

“He’s a funny dude, so it doesn’t surprise me one bit,” Joel Ward, Perreault’s linemate, said. “For us that’s just a normal episode for him. He’s quite the character.”

There have been parodies, t-shirts, and perpetual replays, but the player at the heart of it has been largely oblivious of the reception the celebrations have gotten. Perreault’s not on Twitter and apart from a few videos, he was unaware it’d now become synonymous with him.

“I didn’t think it was gonna be that big of deal,” Perry said. “I mean, if people like it then it’s good.”

Alzner, though, knew he had something interesting from the start.

“I’m not too surprised,” Alzner said with a wry smile when asked for his reaction to the reaction. “I’m pretty happy about it actually.”

For Perreault, the celebrations are an illustration of his progression this season. It’s silly and it’s funny, but the scene would have seemed foreign back in February. The Caps were awful. Perreault was skating on the fourth line, only getting a few minutes of ice time a night. He hated it. As Adam Oates promised, though, Perreault got his chance. Now Matty P skates on the Washington’s superb third line, part of a Capitals team that hopes to win a Cup.

When that team wins, he celebrates more than anyone.

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!

Photo credit: Scott Levy

I don’t know how you guys are coping, but I am doing poorly. A playoff series between the Washington Capitals and New York Rangers seems constitutionally incapable of being stress-free. Game three’s penalty problems continued in game four, and the Caps struggled with special teams and other complex ideas such as shooting and passing. The Rangers seemed to be able to summon a lead on a whim, leaving the Caps to mount a comeback pretty much throughout.

Despite the Caps getting better (and more desperate) as the clock wound down, the Rangers won another game on home ice.

Rangers beat Caps 4-3. Series is tied 2-2.

• Braden Holtby dun goofed. Handling a loose puck, Holtby eyed a saucer pass to neutral, but instead found Pyatt Pree‘s stick hanging in the air. Brad Richards got on the puck and scored on a mostly vacant net to make it 1-0. Holtby’s been both lauded and criticized for his eagerness to play the puck, and he’s been burned more than once for it. This was the worst of al. This was worse than what Jonathan Quick did last week. Because it happened to real people.
• The Capitals’ first period power plays were rancid. The Caps allowed three shorthanded chances, the third one leading to total troublefunk in front of Braden Holtby. Martin Erat and Alex Ovechkin closed in on Derek Stepan– Erat reaching from behind while Ovi was picking up steam. The three collided in a tangle, with Erat landing wrist-first in the net and Ovechkin skating back to the bench before getting beckoned to the box. A hooking penalty for Erat was reasonable, but — inconceivably– Ovechkin was given the old wild-card penalty: charging. Pierre McGuire, who has yet to master the name Oleksy, proclaimed it an obvious headshot. It was not, but the Caps still had to kill a 5 on 3– which they did excellently, but the penalty was more fuel to the Gee willikers! These refs are atrocious! fire. Erat did not return to the game, replaced on the second line by the similarly awesome Eric Fehr.
• From the circle, Carl Hagelin got a knuckley puck past Holtby’s glove side halfway through the game– at which the Caps had just 5 shots on goal during even strength. D’oh.
• But thank goodness for Joel Ward and Mathieu Perreault, who teamed up to put the Caps on the board. Ward had some pretty moves to put the puck on net, and then Perreault crashed it like a tiny French Canadian Knuble.
• The Caps tied it before the end of the second period with a nifty Troy Brouwer backhand while the Rangers got a bit indolent on the breakout. Brouwer was due, and it was greatly appreciated.
• After the Caps improved their possession (as measured by even-strength shot attempts) through the last three games, the Rangers stole it back decisively on Wednesday. Even with a man-up, the Caps were unable to generate offense as the Rangers refused to take the bait of Washington’s fancy passes. The Caps were thus kept on the outskirts and generated no real power play chances.
• A Charmin soft interference penalty on Jason Chimera at the buzzer of the second period led to a Girardi PPG in the first minute of the third, putting Caps back in their one-goal hole, but only temporarily as Marcus Johansson’s inability to clear the zone gave NYR’s Stepan space and time to make it 4-2.
• Ovi was pretty much nullified. Most of his (scarce) shot attempts were blocked, and he — and this is weird– seemed to get hit more than he hit others. I’m not really used to that, but hats off to the Rags for sticking it to him. I’m not sure they’ll be able to do that back in Verizon Center, where the Caps will get last line change.
• Karl Alzner kept it close with an outside slapper (that have got a piece of Perry) with just a bit over 12 minutes left. Because apparently this series was too relaxing for some people.

Joe B suit of the night

Aaaalright, the Caps may have gotten a bit off their game there.

You can chalk some up to the refs, but we can’t pretend like this game was stolen from the Caps. Mysterious decisions on defense and some bad moves on the breakout sort of doomed the effort. The Rangers won the physical game and seemed to have figured out the Oates’ power play. That might make the rest of this series difficult. Or at least interesting. It’s as if the gauntlet has been thrown.

That doesn’t mean it’s undoable. The Rangers have no advantage whatsoever. All they have done is restored the series to neutral. The Caps own on home ice, and they’ll have to flaunt it to win this series.

Friday. Be ready.

Okay not the psyche-up song I wanted. I’ll try again later.

Photo credit: Joel Auerbach

Thursday night, the Washington Capitals moved into a playoff spot for the first time all year, taking over first place in the Southeast Division. Tonight, the Caps fought to defend their position against Miami’s other other other other team, the Florida Panthers. And they did.

OVI SCOAR, RIBEIRO SCOAR, OVI SCOAR, OVI SCOAR (ruined by Hendricks penalty), OVI SCOAR, HATS, Florida goals we don’t care about. Caps beat Cats 4-3.

There are only a few bullets tonight because Peter isn’t here and I’m stupid. You do, as always, get Joe B.’s suit of the night, crappy jokes, and a comment section. RMNB is always full service.

• The Caps were healthy for about 5 minutes before the injury bug hit again. First, Brooks Laich went down Thursday after possibly aggravating his groin problem (and seemingly taking a puck to the pucks). Tonight, it was Martin Erat‘s turn, who was slammed into the boards in just his fourth period with the Caps. Marty looked to be in a great deal of pain after his awkward meeting with the wall courtesy of Erik Gudbranson, who received five minute major and a game misconduct for his troubles. Suddenly, Washington is without top-six depth once again. We’ll wait to see how bad both injuries are.
• Last time out, Alex Ovechkin had his nine game scoring streak broken. That must have pissed him off — at lot. Ovi had two hat tricks tonight (Matt Hendricks ruined the first one by taking a roughing penalty just before the puck went in). After a slow start, Ovi looks positively 2008-y right now, with 13 goals in 11 games. He is now tied for second in the NHL in goals with 23 tallies. Four points on the night for the Great Eight.
• When asked by Locker during the second intermission if he felt any different during his recent hot streak, Ovi responded “I feel always great.” Same, Alex. Same.
• One more bullet on Ovi’s hat trick. This one doesn’t say anything, but I just wanted to point out OVI HAD A HAT TRICK again.
• Speaking of hot players, Mike Green would have extended his goal streak to five games if not for a pesky post. Screw you, post. Ribz popped in the rebound though.
• The Caps went three for five on the power play tonight. Their man-advantage unit has slowed down recently, but the ill-tempered Panthers gave them plenty of time to bump up their numbers once again. And the Caps used it well.
• Washington kinda sorta feel asleep in the third with a big lead. The Panthers made them pay as Tomas Kopecky, Peter Mueller, and Kopecky again tallied for FLA. The game wasn’t nearly as close as it looked in the end, but it goes to show what happens when you stop playing. They do say a four goal lead is the toughest in hockey.
• Joel Ward went one for one in the faceoff dot. Woo.

Joe B. Suit of the Night

The Caps fought hard to claw their way from fourth to first in the New York Yankees of hockey divisions in just three weeks. (Get it? ‘Cause the Southeast and the Yankees both kinda stink. I know, I’m clever.) They’re healthy (well, they were a few days ago), used to The System, and firing on all four of their cylinders. The Caps have 7 of their remaining 10 games at home and Carolina and Winnipeg have both been faltering lately. It looks like we’ll probably be playing hockey come tourist season, so don’t spend all your money on Nats tickets just yet.

Peter will be back with you tomorrow when the Bolts come to DC. Also, it’s gonna be really nice out so I suggest you go look at some trees with a billion other people.

And oh yeah, ALEX OVECHKIN HAD A HAT TRICK.

During the Capitals’ 5-2 loss to the Islanders Saturday, the team showed resilience coming back from two one-goal deficits. The first comeback happened early in the second period, when Joel Ward, no wait I mean Mathieu Perreault — really, it was Ward. Are you serious bro? No way man. Well, when one of them scored on the power play to tie the game at one goal apiece.

How about you look at the video and just tell us who scored.

When Ward and Perreault returned to the bench, a friendly argument ensued. CSN cameras caught Perreault pointing at his chest, as if to say, “It was all me.” Ward shook his head.

A light moment in a dreary game.

If you ask me, it was totally Perreault’s goal. I mean Ward’s.

GIFs by welshhockeyfan

Doug Johnson is back to amuse and torment. You know him as one-half of the PuckBuddys. The first one to get them to 3K Twitter follows probably wins a car or something.

The Morning Skate: Gentle readers, before we [CENSORED] all over our Bruins friends,  let us pause a moment, as you scramble in blind panic preparing for snow that will never, ever come again, to consider the hazards of making predictions. Especially about the Caps.

For example, if I predict no snow Wednesday, it’s gonna get all crazy 20″ up in here. Conversely, I stone cold guarantee that if I dash to the store today to buy a terror shovel, we will be mopping our brows and sipping Mint Juleps on our verandas by Friday. The point is: predictions can go so wrong. Britain’s Lord Kelvin (he of Downton Abbey, we guess?) said heavier-than-air machines could never fly. Harry Warner said no-one would pay for talkies. The Skipper predicted a three-hour tour. Boom.

Brad Marchand…stay classy, you devil-may-care lug!

Now before you get all Nate Silver-y on my behind with a lecture about the differences between prediction and guessing, let me remind all you smarty-pants that even that guy can be as wrong as a clam-juice birthday cake (who did he pick for the Superbowl? Hmmm?). Which brings us to Tuesday’s meeting of the Capitals and Bruins.

Heading into the vortex of despair we call Winnipeg last weekend, following as it did our emasculation by the Flyers, which itself followed our manhandling of Sasha and the Canes, and a bunch of other smart reasons articulated here, we did not have big expectations. Truly, given our flukey history with the Jets, we almost napped through the game. That would have been a shame, as it became a great display of what this team can do when they pull it together.

The real question here, the one I’ve been dithering around, wasting precious precious minutes of your life that you will never get back, is which Capitals team will show Tuesday? The bumblers that allow three points in the 1st period and just sorta of sleep-skate thereafter, or the gladiators that snap together like a Spartan phalanx and crush the will of their opponents? Flinging fate to the winds, I predict the latter, because that’s our roll.

OK, back to [NOPE, STILL CENSORED] on Boston.

The Puck Drop: Research suggests that the B’s are, in fact, chemically, the single worst concentration of terrible humankindism going back to, oh what, the cast of The Love Boat we reckon’. The bean team has been tearing it up against just about everyone in the Southeast recently, turning away teams that have done so to us, while holding their own in the Northeast. Even Sunday’s just-loss to the Habs demonstrated a squad willing, and mostly able, to take it to their foes on the ice.

And so for this, our first meeting this shortened season with the big bad Back Bay baboons, let’s conjure the spirits of our last meet-ups – specifically such sweet, juicy memories as:

• Mama June-clone Tim Thomas stumbling around apparently on horse tranqs and totally getting faked out of his cup by Matt “The Paralyzer” Hendricks, Braden Holtby, also known in our house as Braveman Holtbeast, staring down twerp Rich Peverley, and our favorite, Joel Ward‘s hero clutch shot and OT playoff game winner from game 7 last April. There now, isn’t that like better?

Who’s Hot And What’s Not:

• Lines of Death: Say what you may about the Bruins…for example, “I’d rather stick forks in my eyes than cheer them,” that’s a good one. Still, barf, they have several lines that act like a coherent…well, line. Lucic and Krejci up top, followed by a killer of Marchand, Seguin and Bergeron (“Patrice”? Rly?) And they’re working, while we can’t even get our first line settled. #sadface
• Who’s On First: In 19 out of 19 games this season, when the Bruins draw first blood, they win. In our 20 games, we can say that only 50% of the time; exactly 1/2 as good. Similarly, they trail at the end of the 1st, they win 50% of the time; for us, it’s 25%. This is NOT a team you want to chase down in the 3rd, as we have made a habit of doing. First shot, and especially a lead at the end of the first should suggest what the next 40 minutes will look like. So there.
• Man The Barricades: Overall, with last week’s Hurricane’s alpha-male performance, our Philly floppy fish imitation, and a don’t-give-up tightening in Satan’s playground Winnipeg, we had a good week. Capping a crapital month. Animal-man Troy Brouwer may have wondered which Sasha would show up last year, but we’re questioning which team shows up game to game. As I read wizard and competitor (so don’t click on the clicky) Peerless Prognosticator, perhaps our weakest two areas – continually this season – are defense and turnovers. Oh, and stoopid freaking penalties. Both of which speak to one basic idea: D-FND your Holtby, and keep your puck. Dépêchez-vous sur les barricades! Allez!
• Road Warriors: This is taking on a decided Hollywood-tinged theme. Still, we haven’t exactly been the model road team this year, eh? Ho ho, I’ll say! It’s like we’re flying non-stop to Kinshasa, playing on empty stomachs and typhoid water, and swimming back home – exhausting. We don’t really have a lot of time to figure this out. Easy for me to say: fat old man sitting in his jammies tapping out ill-informed hockey analysis. So we’ve got a home stand now until making the runs to Long Island… but it gets much worse after that. Two solid victories at home are what’s on the menu, boys.
  

  Red Rally Balloon > Kernkraft

• Red Rally Balloon: I’m totally ready for this plucky little latex friend to reappear. Although I’d do it with a Macklemore remix. Yuh-huh.
• O Captain! O Hai My Captain! OK, given one more poor performance, of which we’ve admittedly seen too much of this year (ahem), the media wombats will be all over Alex Ovechkin, bleating about this or that or the other. (Didja see wha I did there?) For three years your PuckBuddys have been hearing wha-wha-wha from who cares about our Captain’s inability to share and play nice. Pish. How many different Caps have gotten a piece of a winning puck in the last two weeks? And how many of them (other than, you know, that one game) have been Ovi? Yes, less curl-and-drag. They’re already doing that on RuPaul’s hot mess of a TV show, so please stop.
• Speaking of… I know he’s been prepping in a bunker in Idaho or doing shortwave radio shows from East Egg, Long Island or somewhere, but when was the last time I had a Chick-fil-A, and thought tender, juicy crispy thoughts about Mr. Thomas? Oh that’s right, in Hell.

Post Game: Spring is in the air, and we’re feeling a bit frisky. But so well-behaved! C’mon, an entire Bruins post and not one shirtless pic of Tyler. Or Dougie Hamilton? (You seen that guy?) So we’re casting our bread upon the water in this Easter season and putting together a PuckBuddys party in several weeks, likely hosted at Nellie’s, duh. We haven’t even run this past our RMNB overlords yet, but we tote want a huge turnout, so we’ll see what we see. [Ed. note: we're there. - Peter]

Prediction: I’m writing it down and sealing it in a dated envelope that I leave with my neighbor (serious.) I’ll let you know the results Wednesday. #predictionwin.

Photo credit: Elsa

Washcaps Philaflyers. Last game good. This game less good. Make words hurt so use less. Puck not in good net. Puck in bad net. Giroux make goal. Simmonds make goal. Gagne make goal. Maxbag Talbutt make goal. Ward make goal make Bryz sad. Groooooooooooo.

Flyers beat Caps 4-1.

• Claude Giroux got credit for the game’s first goal– just 23 seconds in– but it was mostly lady luck’s doing. Before the goal, the puck bounced off Karl Alzner‘s knee towards Scott Hartnell. A few seconds later, it hopped off his skate and into the arms of Giroux. I mark it down as a freak accident–but G was right to be waiting in the sweet spot.
• Despite the two goals against, the Caps of the first period really weren’t bad. They kept the possession game close. If they had kept it up, they could have won. The second period saw cede the puck to Philly with a 32-12 count of attempted shots.
• It’d be pretty cool to watch Simon Gagne get his first goal with his old club if that club weren’t the Philadelphia Flyers and that goal wasn’t scored against the Washington Capitals. But it was, and it was. So, no, hypothetical me, it was not pretty cool at all.
• 34:55 into the game, Braden Holtby got the hook, and Philipp Grubauer saw his first NHL action. Denying two Flyers shots in the first half-minute, Gru seemed up to the challenge. He stopped another barrage in the third and served with distinction during the penalty kill. Nothing not to love about his work tonight except the fact that he actually had to work tonight.
• But let’s not do the thing where we’re like “he stopped 14 shots make him the new starter!” Goalies need to face thousands of shots before we have any real idea how good they are. For now, let’s just say: “Nice [saving], kid. Don’t get cocky!”
• Mike Ribeiro committed a hooking penalty in the first and a pottymouth penalty in the third. He’s had a reputation as a hot head for a long time, and I guess these are the moments when those personality flaws let themselves out. Unfortunate.
• If the Behind the Net Shot Timeline for this game were a ski slope, it’d be the bunny slope.
• Even broken clocks are right twice a day. Even broken clocks can commit assault and battery on a 12-year-old and then get off because some dumb sports network paid him enough money to be obnoxious that he could afford a nice lawyer.
• Some nights you’re not even sure Troy Brouwer will show up to the rink: 0 shots, 1 blocked shot.
• Late in the game, Mathieu Perreault took a knee-on-knee hit from Harry Zolnierczyk, far away from the puck. Perry left the ice, apparently hurt.

Joe B suit of the night

Alex Ovechkin scored a hat trick two games ago. That was good. Last game he had zero shots on goal, but still participated in the offense. That was okay. Tonight he led the Caps with six shots and would have had more if not for a couple bad falls on rough ice. That’s still really good. Don’t believe the hype– especially when the hype comes from people who are paid to inflame and provoke instead of illuminate and inform.

Word on the street is that Edmonton’s front office was in attendance in Philly tonight. If the Caps were to make a move, whom would they move? Hard to say. Three games ago, everyone but Braden was a bum. One game ago, everyone was fantastic. Tonight was torpid overall.

Yeah, the Caps got smoked in the back half of a back-to-back while on the road. They’re gonna have to do better when away from Verizon Center and particularly when playing from behind.

It’s not gonna be all early leads and blowouts for the Caps, and they must learn to deal with that adversity. That was a problem under Boudreau’s leadership, and it seems to have survived his exit. Can Oates do better?

Ovechkin palmed a plasma globe during intermission. (Photo credit: @HockeyBroph)

The Capitals have been undefeated, 3-0-0, ever since fans sacrified a rubber cow and goat at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. That doesn’t mean the games have been pretty. Or graceful.

For example, take a look at Thursday’s game against division rival Tampa. The Capitals gained a 4-1 lead, only to surrender two third period goals and barely escape with a win. There were missed poke checks, goals scored from a seated position, and lots of enthusiastic coaching. You know: Caps hockey.

Presenting… the best pics from Caps at Lightning!

Adam Oates close-talks Mathieu Perreault. Perry responds with a MattTrick of assists. (Photo credit: @JennRubenstein)

Calle Johansson makes TB20 laugh after the opening Brouwer Play goal. (Photo credit: @recordsANDradio)

The Erskine Smile, gloriously incomplete. (Photo credit: Scott Audette)

Ovi almost rips Eric Fehr head off while congratulating him on his second goal. (Photo credit: @recordsANDradio)

#Oatesface mode: scowling, thattaway-ing. (Photo credit: @recordsANDradio)

A supine goal-scoring clinic courtesy one Jay Beagle. (Photo credit: @recordsANDradio)

A look at Hendy’s broken nose during an intermission interview. Imagine having to sneeze.

A liiiittle too aggressive. Braden Hextall got a bit out of position on Nate Thompson’s breakaway.

If you photoshop some beers into their hands, it’s a Miller Lite ad. P.S. drink Flying Dog. (Photo credit: Scott Carlson)

John Carlson and Braden Holtby share post-game victory hug. The third in a week. (Photo credit: @recordsANDradio)

Photo via the Caps website

Joel Ward wore #29 his first three seasons in the NHL. After breaking out for seven goals and thirteen points during Nashville’s deep playoff run in 2011, Ward signed a four-year, $12-million contract with the Washington Capitals. With great contracts must also come great responsibility, so Ward picked a commensurate jersey number.

Ward chose to wear #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson — the first black Major League Baseball player. Since then, Ward’s been nothing but class, a leader of the African American community for the region and for a sport that badly needs one. When confronted with racist tweets after his Game 7 game-winner against Boston last year, Joel showed poise and maturity.

Jackie Robinson would have turned 94-years-old on Thursday if he were still alive. Ward honored his trailblazing hero the best way he could: by scoring a goal.

Joel Ward’s parents in the crowd tonight at Air Canada Centre. (Screenshot by welshhockeyfan)

Ward’s family emigrated from Barbados to Ontario. He grew up in North York, near Toronto, so naturally he had a bunch of family and friends at Air Canada Centre — most notably his mother and father. During a first intermission interview with Craig Laughlin, Ward admitted that it was on his mind. “It’s always hard [to play in front of family],” Ward said. “I have a lot of pressure going on.”

Regardless of pressure, Ward has been revitalized under new head coach Adam Oates this season. He has four goals and six points in seven games this year, an improvement from six goals and 17 points in 73 games last season. Still, at some point Ward’s 30.8 shooting percentage is going to drop, and he’ll probably stop being the team’s second leading scorer.

For now, the hot start belongs to the right guy. Joel Ward deserves his success, and his big goal on Thursday holds extra poignancy because of the man his jersey honors.

Happy 94th Birthday #JackieRobinson…Hope I represent the number well! #42 #BreakingBarriers

— Joel Ward (@JRandalWard42) January 31, 2013

He did.