The Capitals played the preseason game at Giant Center, home of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears, while the first phase of renovations is being completed at Capital One Arena in Washington. It worked out perfectly for Matthew, who has played the past three seasons with Hershey on an AHL contract and is beginning his seventh full professional season, to play in his first NHL preseason game.
Doing it with Dylan, who is entering his fourth season with the Capitals and had an NHL career-high 82 points (29 goals, 53 assists) in 82 games last season, took the experience to another level.
“It’s special,” Matthew Strome said. “I know it’s just preseason, but to be wearing the same jersey as my brother, it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time now, and to get that chance in such a good organization that’s been so huge for Dylan and I, it’s just surreal.”
Brothers Aliaksei, 24, and Ilya Protas, 19, also played for the Capitals. Aliaksei, who set NHL career highs in goals (30), assists (36) and points (66) last season, and Ilya, a third-round pick (No. 75) in the 2024 NHL Draft, played in a preseason game together against the Boston Bruins last season, too, so the Stromes got the nod for the starting lineup.
“I was glad we could do that and ‘Stromer’s’ dad was able to make it,” Carbery said. “You never know if that moment will come for the rest of their lives, so in 20 years when they’re both retired, they’ll be talking about tonight and that moment at Giant Center in a sold-out building in an NHL exhibition game.”
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