Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens with teammates Dylan Strome (17) and Anthony Beauvillier (72) during third period NHL hockey action in Montreal on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
Washington Capitals' Alex Ovechkin (8) celebrates his hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens with teammates Dylan Strome (17) and Anthony Beauvillier (72) during third period NHL hockey action in Montreal on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christinne Muschi
MONTREAL - Dylan Strome had much more than hockey on his mind Thursday night.
The Washington Capitals centre stepped onto the ice against the Montreal Canadiens knowing his wife, Tayler, was going into labour.
When he returned to the dressing room between the first and second periods, he learned she鈥檇 given birth to their third daughter, Sutton Kimberley.
"There was just so many emotions going through my mind,鈥 he said, with tears running down his face. 鈥淔irst of all, you want to make sure everyone's OK, it's a pretty scary thing. At the time of the first period, I kind of thought I was going to make it home in time, maybe. Obviously, that didn't happen.鈥
Strome said his wife 鈥渇elt it鈥 two hours before the 7 p.m. ET puck drop and gave birth at 7:30. Visibly crushed to miss the moment, he said there was no way to get back in time and emphasized the sacrifices Tayler makes while he spends so much time on the road.
鈥淩eally proud of her,鈥 Strome said, pausing at times to get the words out. 鈥淚t's tough, and you obviously want to be there for the birth of your children and didn't know it was coming this soon, but can't wait to go see her 鈥 It's something that I don't think I'll ever experience again, hopefully no one does, kind of just feeling helpless.
鈥淲e got two young ones at home, and she's taking care of both of them while I'm gone. I had to call in some reinforcements for her to go to the hospital. It's a crazy thing that definitely hockey was not really on my mind going out for the first period, but I got the call after the first that she was there. So it's incredible and I can't stress enough how super proud I am of her.鈥
The Capitals rallied around Strome, who finished with three assists in an 8-4 win over the Canadiens.
The 28-year-old from Mississauga, Ont., won a faceoff to set up Alex Ovechkin鈥檚 opening goal and later fed the Capitals captain on a 2-on-1 to make it 6-4.
鈥淪ince like first shift, I think Stromer was feeling it,鈥 said Ovechkin, who added an empty-net goal for a hat trick. 鈥淚 think he was unstoppable today."
Washington coach Spencer Carberry said it鈥檚 a night he鈥檒l remember forever.
鈥淗e's gonna be in this game for a long, long time, long after he's done playing, but this will be one night that he will never forget, and I'll never forget when his daughter was born,鈥 he said. 鈥淭o win the way that we did and the guys to rally around him at the Bell Centre.
鈥淕ood for him, proud of him, and a night we won't forget.鈥
This report by 好色tvwas first published Nov. 20, 2025.
