Washington, D.C.’s subway system regularly shuts down around midnight, well ahead of most cities’ transit systems, which can pose issues for those who use it to head to sporting events that run longer than anticipated. That happened last October during the Nationals’ playoff run, with fans chanting “Metro Sucks” after the last train left during the seventh inning of the NLDS Game Five against the Dodgers (despite Max Scherzer lobbying for it to stay open longer), and it happened again during Game Two of the Capitals’ first-round NHL playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night. With the game heading into double overtime after 11 p.m. local, the scoreboard showed a warning that the Metro was closing down:
The double OT crowd is about to thin. pic.twitter.com/Hl0drFmpox
— Isabelle Khurshudyan (@ikhurshudyan) April 16, 2017
Plenty chimed in to complain and/or make fun of the city:
https://twitter.com/LitaTweeted/status/853448361113989120
DC Metro closes at midnight on a Saturday? Suddenly Toronto doesn't seem so sleepy.
— Moke Lachbat (he/him) (@leach_leach) April 16, 2017
dc metro never not the absolute worst https://t.co/WSMhRreCcY
— jesse spector (@jessespector) April 16, 2017
https://twitter.com/A_W_Gordon/status/853451784987258881
NYC > DC https://t.co/8txgQ0KOLV
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) April 16, 2017
The Leafs eventually won at 11:35 local time on a goal from Kasperi Kapanen:
Wow. Kasperi Kapanen ends a marathon in Game 2 with a @WestJet double OT winner for the #MapleLeafs. pic.twitter.com/NAF8Nhmacf
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 16, 2017
So, some people may have still been able to watch the whole game and then get on the Metro, depending on how long it took to get out of the building and get to the station (and how long the lines there were). But the early closing still definitely caused some to leave before the end of the game, and it provoked plenty of concern for others. One Capitals fan noted the bright side in raising awareness of the Metro’s struggles, though:
well, at least more people are aware that the Metro sucks.
— Danny (@recordsANDradio) April 16, 2017
Indeed. The Capitals’ series with the Leafs is tied at one game apiece, so there will be at least one more game in Washington (Game Five next Friday) and potentially more. Both of the Capitals-Leafs games so far have gone to overtime, so there’s definitely a chance of this happening again, too.
[Isabelle Khurshudyan on Twitter]
