WASHINGTON (WUSA9)--It's been 20 years since the Capitals have been in the Stanley Cup Final.
Someone who knows all about it is Irene Pollin.
She and her husband brought the team to DC... awarded the expansion franchise in 1974.
The 94-year-old took trip down memory lane.
She says she has so many memories that take her back to the time she and her husband, Abe went to Montreal to get the franchise.
"And they keep saying no its a southern town its never gonna be a hockey town...... so guess what? I guess we can say today that it's very much a hockey town."
Irene says it's even more ironic that the Caps Stanley Cup opponent is another team not considered to be in a hockey town, Las Vegas.
When asked what she remembers about the moment they were awarded the team, she says, 'they really needed it because we were going to build Capital Center, and couldn't build the building without two teams."
Irene and Abe, DC developers for years prior to their sports stint, built the old Capital Centre... home to the Washington Bullets and the new Capitals.
She said by time they made the 1998 Eastern Conference Final and then the Stanley Cup Final, "we already had experience with a championship."
She's talking about the 1978 NBA Championship the then Bullets, now Wizards won.
She and Abe owned them before the Caps.
"I feel it now too. I've been texting Ted (current owner, Leonsis) and said the best is yet to come."
Her words of wisdom for fans now?
"Enjoy every minute every second... its a very exciting time."
