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Greg Wyshynski
The Washington Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning will wear special helmet decals for their game on Saturday in support of the figure skating community and all those affected by the Flight 5342 tragedy in January.
Fourteen members of the figure skating community were among the 67 people killed when an Army helicopter collided with an American Airlines flight and crashed into the Potomac River on Jan. 29 outside of Ronald Reagan National Airport.
The helmet decals feature a figure skate and a hockey skate with the date “1.29.25” encircled in the outline of a heart.
The tribute from the NHL teams on Saturday leads into a figure skating tribute event at Capital One Arena on Sunday
“Legacy on Ice,” scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET, is a benefit for the families and loved ones affected by the Flight 5342 tragedy. The two-hour program will feature performances from current and former skating champions, co-hosted by 1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano and 1992 Olympic champion Kristi Yamaguchi. Figure skating stars like Peggy Fleming, Nancy Kerrigan and Nathan Chen are expected in attendance, as are members before all of Washington’s pro sports teams.
All proceeds from merchandise sales and an auction featuring sports memorabilia and experiences will benefit affected families, loved ones and first responders. All proceeds and donations will go to the Monumental Sports & Entertainment Foundation’s Legacy on Ice Program, which will directly benefit the U.S. Figure Skating Association, Greater Washington Community Foundation, and DC Fire & EMS Foundation
“At the end of the day, we not only want to be able to collectively bring all of the voices of all of the people affected, but we need to be able to raise a lot of dollars to help ease some of the pain,” said Capitals owner Ted Leonsis last month, when the event was announced.
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