A critical Game 5 goal in the Stanley Cup finals cemented the Washington Capitals’ Devante Smith-Pelly as one of the heroes of the NHL postseason. But Smith-Pelly’s moment — a dazzling score that tied the decisive game midway through the final period — resonated particularly loudly in Washington’s black community.
Ralph Featherstone, who coaches at Fort Dupont Ice Arena, the only full-size public ice rink in the District, called the emergence of Smith-Pelly, a 26-year-old black Canadian who has logged seven seasons in an overwhelmingly white league, “an inspiration.”
“There have been black players in the NHL since Willie O’Ree, but we haven’t had the opportunity to see them on the bigger stage and not just be there, but actually contribute,” Featherstone said, referencing O’Ree, the league’s first black player, who was selected to the Hockey Hall of Fame this week.
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