Washington Capitals and Local Rinks to Participate in Hockey Weekend Across America

ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals along with several Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia-area rinks will participate in USA Hockey’s sixth annual Hockey Weekend Across America from Feb. 15-17.

Launched by USA Hockey in 2008, Hockey Weekend Across America is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the game and those involved at all levels and to expose hockey to new audiences. Each day of the weekend has a theme.

Friday, Feb. 15 is Wear Your Favorite Hockey Jersey Day, sponsored by ShopUSAHockey.com. Caps fans are encouraged to wear their Capitals jersey and tweet photos to @WashCaps and @CapsYouthHockey.

Saturday, Feb. 16 is Try Hockey for Free Day. Nearly 200 rinks across the country will invite boys and girls ages four to nine years old to “Try Hockey for Free” with clinics aimed to help kids experience ice hockey for the first time and learn the basics of the sport in a fun, safe environment.

Local rink partners participating in Try Hockey for Free Day include:

Ice World – Abingdon, Md. – noon
Talbot County Community Center – Easton, Md. – 5 p.m.
Skate Frederick – Frederick, Md. – 11:30 a.m.
Hagerstown Ice and Sports Complex – Hagerstown, Md. – 8:30 a.m.
Piney Orchard – Odenton, Md. – 11:30 a.m.
Chilled Ponds Ice & Turf Sports Complex – Chesapeake, Va. – 11:30 a.m.
Haymarket Iceplex – Haymarket, Va. – 11:30 a.m.
Lahaye Ice Center – Lynchburg, Va. – 9 a.m.
Prince William Ice Center – Woodbridge, Va. – 3:30 p.m.

To register for one of the Try Hockey for Free opportunities, visit www.TryHockeyForFree.com.

Sunday, Feb. 17 is Celebrate Local Hockey Heroes, which encourages hockey programs nationwide to honor their local hockey heroes. To commemorate the day, Washington Capitals forward Joel Ward will visit Fort Dupont Ice Arena in Washington, D.C., on Monday, Feb. 18 where he will participate in a practice led by Fort Dupont hockey director Neal Henderson. Henderson founded the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club in 1978.

In addition, NBC’s Hockey Day in America includes coverage of the Washington Capitals at New York Rangers game at 6 p.m. on NBC Sports Network. Along with its game coverage, NBC will also produce content in and around the games showcasing hockey at all levels in the United States.

For more information on Hockey Weekend Across America, visit www.hockeyweekendacrossamerica.com.