NHL Playoffs 2018: Young Capitals fan from viral 'puck girl' video has a ticket for rest of playoffs
Is it the Caps year? If Keelan Moxley has anything to say about it, it certainly is. The Capitals pushed past the Blue Jackets on Monday night with a 5-3 win to claim the series 4-2 after losing the first two games of the series in overtime -- a very not-Capitals thing to do. And the Capitals didn't lose a game after an adorable clip started making the rounds on the internet.
Now, Moxley has an invite to every Capitals game for the rest of the postseason, along with her family because of a video that has received nearly 10 million views. The clip shows Caps forward Brett Connolly giving her a puck over the glass -- to her delight -- after a few tries where Connolly's intended pucks wound up in the hands of two boys flanking her.
Lauren Moxley, Keelan's mother, told WTKR news in North Carolina that team owner Ted Leonsis has given them a standing invite to the rest of the playoffs in Washington. There's no doubt it's a bit surreal for Lauren to have a lasting invite because of her 6-year-old daughter, and even Keelan has had trouble coming to grips with her fame.
"I feel a lot different than I did before I was famous," Keelan explained via FaceTime to WTKR.
With the way the Capitals treated her for Game 5, it's unsurprising that she's developing a bit of an ego. Keelan got to hang out with Leonsis in his suite, met Connolly after the game, and received a stick and an ice skate signed by several players -- which she's planning on keeping in her playroom. If that doesn't hammer home that Keelan is 6, I don't know what will.
Lauren, meanwhile, is letting Keelan enjoy her 15 minutes. "It's been overwhelming," Lauren said to WTKR on the media onslaught. "We're not used to this stuff, but she's been having a lot of fun with it -- so we're trying to make it as fun as we can for her."
It's all very exciting, but if the Capitals keep winning, they'll keep having fun. After all, what's better than free tickets to playoff games? The Capitals may have a dubious playoff history, but maybe this is the year that they can finally turn it around, with Keelan as their good luck charm.