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Washington Capitals Fans Celebrating Hockey Championship Win

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Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade, June 12, 2018, in Washington.
Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade, June 12, 2018, in Washington.

Thousands of Washington Capitals fans gathered on the National Mall to celebrate the ice hockey team's Stanley Cup championship, the team's first in its 44-year existence.

The team paraded down Constitution Avenue in the ceremonial heart of Washington before a rally Tuesday between the Washington Monument and the Capitol.

Fans wearing Capitals jerseys staked out the best vantage points for hours along the street to see their favorite players, including the Russian-born captain Alexander Ovechkin, and catch a glimpse of the meter-tall Stanley Cup awarded to the winning team each year in the National Hockey League playoffs.

In Photos: The Capitals Stanley Cup Victory Parade

Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin of Russia holds up the Stanley Cup trophy during the NHL hockey team's Stanley Cup victory celebration at the National Mall in Washington, June 12, 2018.
1/12 Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin of Russia holds up the Stanley Cup trophy during the NHL hockey team's Stanley Cup victory celebration at the National Mall in Washington, June 12, 2018.
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Fan crowd on the National Mall during the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration in Washington.
2/12 Fan crowd on the National Mall during the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration in Washington.
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Fans react to seeing members of the Washington Capitals hockey team during the Stanley Cup victory parade route along the National Mall in Washington.
3/12 Fans react to seeing members of the Washington Capitals hockey team during the Stanley Cup victory parade route along the National Mall in Washington.
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Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin from Russia holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade in Washington.
4/12 Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin from Russia holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade in Washington.
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Washington Capitals fans cheer from the bus ridding in the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration on Constitution Avenue.
5/12 Washington Capitals fans cheer from the bus ridding in the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration on Constitution Avenue.
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The team mantra during the tournament was ALLCAPS, a reference to the team name and written punctuation.
6/12 The team mantra during the tournament was ALLCAPS, a reference to the team name and written punctuation.
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The crowd fills the steps of the National Archives as the Washington Capitals pass by during a Stanley Cup victory parade in Washington.
7/12 The crowd fills the steps of the National Archives as the Washington Capitals pass by during a Stanley Cup victory parade in Washington.
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Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) waves to the crowd during the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration on Constitution Avenue.
8/12 Washington Capitals right wing Tom Wilson (43) waves to the crowd during the Stanley Cup championship parade and celebration on Constitution Avenue.
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Olivia Spicer, 16, left, Emma Jacobs, 17, and Caroline Schwartz, 18, all of Gainesville, Va., hold up letters spelling the nickname of Washington Capitals' left wing Alex Ovechkin, from Russia, on the National Mall ahead of a victory parade and rally for the Washington Capitals as hockey fans celebrate their winning the Stanley Cup in Washington.
9/12 Olivia Spicer, 16, left, Emma Jacobs, 17, and Caroline Schwartz, 18, all of Gainesville, Va., hold up letters spelling the nickname of Washington Capitals' left wing Alex Ovechkin, from Russia, on the National Mall ahead of a victory parade and rally for the Washington Capitals as hockey fans celebrate their winning the Stanley Cup in Washington.
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Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin from Russia holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade and rally at The National Mall in Washington.
10/12 Washington Capitals NHL hockey team left wing Alex Ovechkin from Russia holds up the Stanley Cup during a victory parade and rally at The National Mall in Washington.
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The team captured its first Stanley Cup in its 44 year history.
11/12 The team captured its first Stanley Cup in its 44 year history.
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The championship celebration parade proceeds up Constitution Ave. in Washington.
12/12 The championship celebration parade proceeds up Constitution Ave. in Washington.
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The city has not celebrated a major professional sports championship since 1992 when the city's National Footnall League franchise, the Redskins, last won the Super Bowl.

The Capitals' championship caught the city by surprise, with the team, even talented ones that compiled lofty regular season results in recent years, repeatedly having failed to advance through early rounds of the annual playoffs.

But the 2018 version last week defeated the first-year Vegas Golden Knights four games to one in the best-of-seven final series, winning the championship in Las Vegas.

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