After serving in the Army for 33 years and traveling to Mongolia for five months, Melissa Ridgely was asked about her retirement plans. The 56-year-old D.C.-area native knew exactly what she wanted to do: be a part of a historic chase to hockey immortality.
Ridgley decided to travel to watch Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin attempt to break the NHL’s goal scoring record.
“I said, ‘I’m going to be a groupie and I’m going to follow Ovechkin and the team around until he breaks the record,'” Ridgely said.
Before the season, the Army veteran did some “calculations” and determined that Ovechkin would break the scoring mark — once held by Gordie Howe before Wayne Gretzky surpassed him with 894 goals — by the end of the the regular season. She plotted her plans by ordering partial season tickets with the Capitals and reaching out to other teams directly for seats.
“It’s great because it coincided with my ability to travel, and I’m using (reward) points and airline miles like that,” Ridgely said to WTOP. “I’ve saved up over the last 30 years. So far, everything’s been almost free.”
When she arrived to a new location, such as Minnesota or parts of the West Coast, people have often displayed positive behavior toward her and providing her access to fun events.
“I’ve been to season ticket holder dinners. I’ve been taken into suite boxes. People have shown me kind of the best around their towns,” said Ridgely. “It’s been just a lot of fun. I lost my headphones in Winnipeg, and they actually got turned back in to me.”
She even attended Friday night’s 5-3 win over the Chicago Blackhawks in D.C.’s Capital One Arena, where Ovechkin scored twice to tie the record. When Ovechkin scored No. 894 on the power play with 13:47 left in regulation, Ridgley admitted she was speechless.
“I screamed,” she said after the game. “I threw something up. I was trying to record but there was no recording. I was enjoying the moment.”
With the record tied, it means all eyes shift to New York as the Capitals play the Islanders in UBS Arena for another chance for Ovechkin to break the scoring record. For Ridgley, it’s another trip to prepare for.
“I don’t want to miss it, and there’s no chance of me missing it if I’m at all the games,” she said. “I feel like Alexander Hamilton, I want to be in the room when the history is made, so wherever he is. But why wouldn’t I want to share it with all of our fans in red?
As she prepares to pack her own bags to meet the Caps in New York for Sunday’s game against the Islanders, she has one message for Ovechkin: finish the job.
“You got this,” Ridgley said. “It’s easy, easy peasy. You’ve done it for your entire career. Just more one. Bring it home.”
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