Here's your feel good story of the week. Yesterday, eight year-old Braden Neinaber who suffers from Langerhans cell histiocytosis, a disease which causes the body to produce to many which blood cells, spent the day with his favorite team the Washington Capitals thanks to the awesome people at the Children's Wish Foundation.
Neinaber's day included a number of great moments including getting a locker next to his favorite player, Braden Holtby, skating around with the team during the morning skate and even dropping the gloves to go toe to toe with Cap's enforcer Tom Wilson. (Check out the video below to see more of Neinaber's day.)
While all of that is absolutely awesome Neinaber's dropping of the ceremonial first puck definitely took the cake as the highlight of the day.
As Capital's captain Alexander Ovechkin prepared to take the face off against Sabres' captain Steve Ott Neinaber surprised everyone and got a huge ovation out of the hometown crowd by tossing Ott from the faceoff circle.
Gotta give credit to Ott here for being a good sport. I have a sneaking suspicion, judging from his reaction, that he may have been in on the joke. Shows a lot of class on his behalf and even though the Sabres may be sitting in last in the NHL Ott is still a talented player and apparently even a better guy.
When it comes down to it moments like this are what sports are all about. You play to win, and even though the Caps may have lost the game to the Sabres, sometimes winning is just as much about what happens off the ice. Neinaber is going to carry this day with him for the rest of his life and I'm pretty sure a fair number of Capitals fans will too.
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