Washington Capitals unveil Winter Classic uniforms

With Alex Ovechkin wearing flip-flops and a borrowed pair of baseball pants on a warm start-of-autumn day, the Washington Capitals have unveiled the uniforms they'll wear when they host the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL's Winter Classic on Jan. 1 at Nationals Park.

At a news conference Tuesday at the baseball stadium, Capitals owner Ted Leonsis says he lobbied NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman from the moment the puck dropped for the first Winter Classic, in 2008.

Leonsis says that "for hockey in Washington, D.C., it's a big moment" to finally host the New Year's Day game.

Hockey nets and the outline of a rink were set up across the back of the dirt diamond and the shallow outfield grass where the NL East Nationals play their home games.