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In trying to keep out Penguins fans, Capitals continue great, petty tradition

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The 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs are really gearing up with the second round looming. Why limit the pettiness to social media?

Russian Machine Never Breaks’ Ian Oland passes along word that the Washington Capitals are attempting to take a page from the Vegas Golden Knights in barring unwanted Pittsburgh Penguins fans from their home games in round two.
[NBC’s Stanley Cup Playoff Hub]

The specific plan would (at least attempt to) prohibit fans from putting up special pre-sale tickets up for re-sale, again echoing the Golden Knights’ plan (which you can read more about in this post). Here’s an excerpt from the email Oland unearthed at RMNB:

We are offering Club Red 365 members the first opportunity to purchase additional limited inventory at preferred pricing through this exclusive pre-sale. Tickets purchased through this special offer will not be eligible for resale posting as we plan to create an amazing atmosphere in the building where we want all fans Rocking the Red in ALL CAPS.

That seems a bit silly and could even be a sign of mild insecurity, but also seems ... kind of great?

For one thing, this series could go either way, and the last thing Capitals fans want to deal with is gloating Penguins devotees crowing about the Pens possibly stealing some games in Washington. Especially with the opportunities for high-profile gloating.

Some might be chagrined by teams taking measures to keep out opposing fans, yet if you ask me, it’s all fair game, especially if the arena’s going to be sold out anyway. (If you’re, say, the Ottawa Senators or some other team having trouble filling the building during a playoff game, then maybe you have to be more accomodating.)

Like it or not, this measure follows a pattern of behavior by the Capitals and for some NHL teams overall.

As Oland’s piece notes, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis hasn’t been shy about trying to figure out ways to keep Penguins fans out of his building. The AOL executive apparently even punched up his own computer program to try to do the trick. This latest measure is simply the latest strategy, as the Capitals have also tried to curtail an influx of hostile fans by restricting purchases by region and similar limitations.

And, again, the Capitals are far from the only NHL team trying different ways to maintain their home-ice advantage.

The Golden Knights provided a nice blueprint for trying to limit Kings fans when you consider the close proximity between the two franchises. The Nashville Predators have taken similar steps before and appear eager to do so again as their clash looms with the Winnipeg Jets and their passionate fanbase. Checking through PHT’s archives, we’ve seen plenty of examples, including one stretching back as far as 2012 when the New Jersey Devils ran a “No Blue” campaign against the New York Rangers.

(Feel free to mention some other similar campaigns in the comments, as there have probably been a ton of them.)

If such tactics make you grind your teeth, consider this: Penguins fans will almost certainly find their way to Capitals home games, possibly even in large numbers. There’s likely no way of avoiding such a situation in this technological age, particularly if Pens fans are aiming for spite.

In the grand scheme of things, it’s all in good fun, and it might even provide another talking point as these two rivals meet in the second round for the third year in a row.


James O’Brien is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @cyclelikesedins.