WASHINGTON – There is plenty of excitement among Washington Capitals fans who will be at the Verizon Center Tuesday when the Caps host the St. Louis Blues and welcome Dale Hunter, a one-time Caps team captain and new head coach.
“I’m clapping right now. If they don’t blow the top off that arena, I’d be surprised,” said Ken Pesek of Ashburn, Va.
The Caps fired Bruce Boudreau Monday and replaced him with Hunter, a player once known for his toughness, lengthy stays in the penalty box and multiple game suspensions.
“He’s a fan favorite,” said season ticket holder Stephen Levesque of Fredericksburg, who remembers Hunter’s rough playing style of the 1990s.
“If you had to battle up against the boards with Dale Hunter, nine times out of 10, you were going to lose. It didn’t matter how tough the other players (were), because he was always going to play them hard as nails. He didn’t back down from anybody,” Levesque said.
Fans seem ready for a fresh start with the new head coach.
Cara Daniel of Nottingham, Md. is looking forward to being at the Verizon Center to welcome Hunter.
“I think it will definitely be an exciting atmosphere,” she says, adding that she’s happy with the change and “looking forward to what he can bring.”
Caps fans are frustrated after the team opened the season with seven straight wins, but recently lost eight of the last 11 games.
“I think it’s going to be very exciting. The place is going to be very much alive and I hope this is part of the change we need,” said Scott Littky of Alexandria, Va.
Pesek strikes a note of confidence that the change in head coaches will produce victory.
“I will be at the Caps game,” Pesek says, and Dale Hunter will make “St. Louis sing the blues.”
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WTOP’s Dick Uliano contributed to this report. Follow WTOP on Twitter.
(Copyright 2011 by WTOP. All rights reserved.)
