CALGARY — Thursday afternoon, in lieu of hockey practice, the Washington Capitals encountered the rare situation of feeling uncomfortable on ice. They were bused across town here to the Calgary Curling Club, just across the Bow River from the Scotiabank Saddledome, where they will face the Flames this weekend. The western Canadian players, who grew up curling back home, flashed their prowess, though Swedish forward Nicklas Backstrom was a pleasant surprise. Staff members participated, Coach Barry Trotz oversaw and defenseman Karl Alzner’s team emerged victorious.

The Capitals were kind enough to invite a reporter along on their team bonding trip, so here are some photos from their day on the sheets: