Superstition? Alex Ovechkin grabs Prince of Wales Trophy as Capitals move on to Stanley Cup Final

TAMPA, Fla. - What superstition? Alex Ovechkin not only touched the Prince of Wales Trophy - but once he took hold it looked like he never let go!

The Washington Capitals captain led his team to the Stanley Cup Final Wednesday with a 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning. It's the first time in his career Ovechkin will play for the Stanley Cup and the first time in 20 years that the Capitals have won the Eastern Conference Championship.

According to tradition, it's bad luck for teams who win the Prince of Wales Trophy to touch it. But Ovechkin didn't let that stop him! Video posted on Twitter by the Capitals shows Ovechkin taking the trophy on to the plane heading out of Tampa Bay and tucking it under his arm after the team landed in D.C.

Maybe it's time for this misbelief to go away permanently! According to an article online by cbssports.com, Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins didn't let the superstition get in his way from putting his hands on the Prince of Wales Trophy in 2016 and 2017. In both of those years the Penguins won it all.

Plus, says cbssports.com, when the Vegas Golden Knights won the West they touched the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl - so both teams can't be cursed!