Capitals’ Strome learns during game that wife gave birth to daughter

MONTREAL (AP) — Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome learned during the first intermission Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens that wife Tayler had given birth to their third daughter

“There was just so many emotions going through my mind,” said Strome, with tears streaming down his face after assisting on three goals in the Capitals’ 8-4 victory. “First of all, you want to make sure everyone’s OK, it’s a pretty scary thing. At the time of the first period, I kind of thought I was going to make it home in time, maybe. Obviously, that didn’t happen.”

The couple named the girl Sutton Kimberley.

Strome said his wife “felt it” two hours before the 7 p.m. puck drop and gave birth at 7:30 p.m. He said there was no way to get back in time and emphasized the sacrifices Tayler makes while he spends so much time on the road.

“Really proud of her,” Strome said, pausing at times to get the words out. “It’s tough, and you obviously want to be there for the birth of your children and didn’t know it was coming this soon, but can’t wait to go see her. … It’s something that I don’t think I’ll ever experience again, hopefully no one does, kind of just feeling helpless.

“We got two young ones at home, and she’s taking care of both of them while I’m gone. I had to call in some reinforcements for her to go to the hospital. It’s a crazy thing that definitely hockey was not really on my mind going out for the first period, but I got the call after the first that she was there. So it’s incredible and I can’t stress enough how super proud I am of her.”

Strome won a faceoff to set up Alex Ovechkin’s opening goal and later fed the captain on a 2-on-1 to make it 6-4.

“Since like first shift, I think Stromer was feeling it,” said Ovechkin, who added an empty-netter for a hat trick. “I think he was unstoppable today.”

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