Washington, D.C.

Washington, District of Columbia, is the capital of the United States.

It has a population of almost 600,000 and a metro population of close to 6 million.

History of hockey in Washington, DC

The Ice Palace at Convention Hall opened in Washington, DC, in January 1896. The rink's surface, which measured 155’ x 205’, was then the largest sheet of artificial ice in the world. On January 9, Queen’s University from Canada and the Baltimore Athletic Club played the first ice hockey game at the rink, won 6-0 by the former. The Washington Hockey Club, Berkley Club, and Columbia Athletic Club were soon established, Washington beating Berkeley 1-0 on February 1. The Montreal Shamrocks beat the Montreal Hockey Club 3-1 in DC on March 7. The Washington Hockey Club and Washington Regents faced each other three times in 1897. The Ice Palace closed after this season, and hockey did not return to Washington until the Eagles joined the Eastern Hockey League for 1939-40. They played at the outdoor Riverside Stadium (with artificially frozen ice) from 1939-1941, then moved into the indoor Uline Arena.

The Washington Lions joined the American Hockey League in 1941, causing the Eagles to fold a year later. The Lions history was as follows: AHL (1941-1943), Eastern Hockey League (1944-1947), AHL (1947-1949), EHL (1951-1957). The team was renamed the Presidents in 1957 and remained in the EHL until 1960. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutters, who were based in Baltimore, played some games at Uline Arena in 1943-44.

On February 26 and March 5, 1961, a Washington team fell 14-0 and 10-1, respectively, to the Baltimore Clippers on the road. For 1961-62, the Washington Potomacs amateur hockey team was formed, and played for four seasons, before being rebranded as the Patriots for 1965-66, and folding in 1967. Two Washington teams, the Rebels and Canucks, Georgetown University and the Baltimore Mercuries formed the Metropolitan Amateur Hockey League for 1963-64. The Washington Presidents, the Eagles, George Washington University, and the Maryland Hockey Club (a University of Maryland-Gallaudet College combination) were added to the league the following year. Gallaudet and U of Maryland had separate teams in 1966-67, and Sholl's Cafeteria and the Eagles joined. The Baltimore Jr. Clippers and Miller's Restaurant were added the next year. The league became known as the Chesapeake Hockey League for 1968-69. It lasted for over a decade, playing well into the 1980s.

On September 20, 1963, the Montreal Canadiens blasted the Baltimore Clippers 8-3 at the Uline Arena. A week later, the Chicago Black Hawks mauled the Clippers 8-0 in Washington. The Washington Chiefs were formed as an independent amateur team for the 1967-68 season. On December 8, 1968, the Chiefs lost 21-4 to the professional Salem Rebels. They faced the Rebels again on February 19, 1969, falling 9-7 in a much more competitive game. The Chiefs remained active through the 1975-76 season. The Washington Capitals have played in the National Hockey League since 1974, winning their first Stanley Cup in 2018.

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US Capital: Washington, D.C.

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