Capitals Fans Return To Capital One Arena After More Than 1 Year

WASHINGTON, DC — For the first time in over a year, Washington Capitals fans will be welcomed back to Capital One Arena to cheer on their team Tuesday.

The game versus the New York Islanders will be the first game with fans at Capital One Arena since the Capitals' March 4, 2020 game against the Philadelphia Flyers. The NHL paused the season on March 12 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and later held playoffs in a bubble of two hub cities. The latest NHL season got underway in January 2021.

The addition of fans follows updated COVID-19 guidelines from DC Mayor Muriel Bowser. Under the guidelines, the arena can have 10 percent capacity, or about 2,100 fans. The arena's full capacity tops 20,000.

Capital One Arena is implementing various health and safety measures as fans return. Fans will have their own dedicated entrance, seating area, concessions and bathrooms.

Masks will be required for everyone 2 and older covering the face and nose, and six feet of social distancing is required between each group. Bags, backpacks and purses will not be permitted at the events, and those bringing a medical or parenting bag must use the Purple Entrance at 6th and F Streets. Other guidelines are outlined at monumentalsports.com/health-safety.

The Capitals will play in front of fans with two weeks left in the season. Six of the final eight regular season games will be at Capital One Arena.

The team continues to fight for first place in the MassMutual East Division. Heading into Tuesday's games, the Capitals are 31-13-4 with 66 total points, just one point back from the first-place Pittsburgh Penguins. In the last eight games, the Capitals are 6-2-0.

For those not attending Tuesday's game in person, tune into the game at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Washington or NBC Sports on television or Capitals Radio 24/7, 99.1 FM on the radio. See a complete game preview on the Capitals website.