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After ‘scary’ conditions last year, Caps won’t play in Baltimore

Dennis Seidenberg, Mike Green, Chris Castro, Alexander Khokhlachev

Washington Capitals defenseman Mike Green (52) tries to keep possession of the puck as he is pressured by Boston Bruins’ Chris Casto, bottom left, Alexander Khokhlachev, right, of Russia, and Dennis Seidenberg, of Germany, in the second period of a preseason NHL hockey game, Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

AP

After two unpleasant experiences playing preseason games in Baltimore Arena, the Washington Capitals have decided to pass on going there in 2014, per CSN Washington.

The Capitals first attempted to play there in 2011, but the ice conditions were bad to the point that there were puddles.

“The ice was soft but it’s over,” Alex Ovechkin said at the time. “So thank God nobody got hurt everybody feel healthy.”

Ovechkin was put at risk again when the Capitals returned in 2013. That time he was barely able to avoid a collapsing pane of glass in an incident then Capitals coach Adam Oates described as “very scary.”

“You can’t hold the puck, you can’t shoot it,” Ovechkin said in 2013. “Afraid to go to the boards because it’s too dangerous.”

With all that in mind, it would have surprised Baltimore Arena general manager Frank Remesch had the Capitals actually decided to come back for a third attempt.

“It was just a matter of us not being prepared operationally and it was embarrassing,” Remesch admitted. However, he added that the plexiglas falling was something that could have happened at an NHL arena and the ice conditions are better now.

Without the Baltimore game, all of Washington’s preseason home contests will be played at the Verizon Center.

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