John McCreary/NHLI via Getty Images
Equipment malfunctions and misplacements are nothing new in the NHL, with the likes of gloves, skates, and sticks sometimes giving players fits. During a game against the Anaheim Ducks at Capital One Arena on December 6, 2021, Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson experienced the latter when his stick was caught between the glass. With the help of a dedicated fan who sacrificed her cell phone to free the trapped stick.
Capitals fan Caroline McLain tweeted a video of her efforts after the incident, showing her smashing her cell phone’s screen against the tip of the blade as Wilson pulled the stick free.
@Capitals @MSE I tried really hard to get Tom Wilson his stick pic.twitter.com/voHvsNOPCt
— Caroline McCain (@ccmccain) December 7, 2021
Prior to the Capitals’ Wednesday night tilt against the Edmonton Oilers, Caroline was presented with a customized No. 43 jersey and a signed stick by Wilson, as well as a new iPhone courtesy of Verizon.
Your All-Star effort did not go unnoticed, Caroline!
Shoutout to @Verizon for hooking her up with a new phone to go along with that custom #ALLCAPS jersey and signed Tom Wilson stick 🥰 https://t.co/Ko21PcdVUG pic.twitter.com/5f2SxvQLTI
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) February 2, 2022
Wilson was named as a replacement for Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in the 2022 NHL All-Star Game in Las Vegas, after Ovechkin tested positive for the coronavirus earlier in the day.
By Michael Fleetwood
