Alex Ovechkin Gives Speech, Washington Capitals Celebrate Stanley Cup Win With Parade

The Washington Capitals are still over the moon after winning their first-ever Stanley Cup last Thursday and, led by their 32-year-old Russian captain Alex Ovechkin, they celebrated with a parade on Tuesday.

Capitals Celebrate Stanley Cup Title

Tens of thousands of fans attended the celebration, according to several reports, as the Caps’ victory over the expansion franchise Vegas Golden Knights marked Washington’s first major professional sports championship in 26 years (since the Redskins last won the Super Bowl).

According to The Washington Post, dozens of profanity-laced screams filled the streets, gallons of beer were consumed and many fans even sung Queen’s “We Are The Champions.”

“We had a dream,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said, quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “And we did it.”

Ovechkin, meanwhile, encouraged the fans to stay rowdy.

“You thought it was gonna be crazy but it’s basically nuts,” Ovechkin told the team’s fans. “You guys are killing it.”

Ovechkin announced just last week that he is expecting his first child with his wife Anastasia. On Tuesday, he encouraged the crowd to join the Capitals in singing “We Are The Champions,” a song that has become a favorite of the team’s.

Ovechkin has played with the Capitals since one year after he entered the NHL as the first overall draft pick in 2004. The winger reportedly has carried the Stanley Cup trophy with him everywhere since winning it. He even posted photos of himself sleeping next to it and holding it while taking a picture with White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner.

“We’re absolutely nothing without you guys,” center and alternate captain Nicklas Backstrom told the crowd. “Finally, we started playing hockey like we can party.”

Some cars were seen carrying banners that read: “Ovechkin for President.”

Ovechkin and Capitals goalie Braden Holtby also made an appearance on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring jimmy Fallon to discuss the celebrations and — along with Belmont Stakes/Triple Crown-winning jockey Mike Smith — drank out of the Stanley Cup on the show. Holtby and Ovechkin even helped Fallon do a keg stand to drink out of the cup.

The D.C. Fire Department Emerald Society Pipes and Drums played “God Bless America” at the parade.