welcome to "news4 this week." hi there, i'm pat with a special edition of "news4 this week." on a busy weekend in the sports world we thought we would look at some of the more interesting sports stories making news this week. plus unique local story. among them d.c. all four of our hometown teams are giving us something to cheer about this week including two huge playoff whip s wins and the next piece in a washington rebuild. and take us out to an empty fall game the impact protests have had on baseball in baltimore. and walking in water. a rehab technique used on athletes for years is still helping our four-legged friends. first, starting to build for

cap fans right now with game two on the doorstep. the team's second round series is off to a great start with a thrilling game one win in new york but these two teams have a history and you know anything with happen. carol maloney is in new york with a look back at game one and what's in store for today's game. >> it's hard to predict an entire series after one game but this one living up to the hype. it's a war of attrition. both teams using their physical punishing style to wear down the other. but the difference one, alex ovechkin who is laying with as much fire as ever. braden as he can see it he can stop it. and joel ward captain clutch. >> got to win on the road. obviously they have a big finish obviously they have extra game at home. in that regard so we got to win bep got to win out right, if we can, and our game plan is to come in hard and work and you know our next game is going to

be tough. >> we're not beyond -- if we play that way we might win. we don't exactly want to continue that. we want to get better. >> broadway blue shirts will turn into the broadway bullies for game two. caps they say will be ready. >> they turn it on as the game went on. they're going to be better in game two. we're going to have to play better to compete with them in game two. >> i know their coaching staff is tremendous. i have known lane for a long time and scottie and those guys. so they've got a good stuff. they've got a plan they've got lots of character over there. we will have to be better. >> they haven't advanced past the second round since 1988. remember that year? oh yeah they went to the finals. game two of round two coming up later today here on nbc. for madison square garden news4 sports. this playoff season has proven there's big support between d.c. sports teams.

they had front row seats to game seven between the caps and islanders. pierce really got into it banging on the boards and heckling the islanders. the wizards superstar said it was a very cool experience. >> look i got coaching because i never sat that close before. they say a player comes next to the window you're supposed to hit the window. so i was doing as romans do. when you play for a city you become part of it group become one with the fans. you know you always run into all the other sports players. always see those guys in here in the weight room or in passing. so it's easy to support. >> the caps will be looking for more support next week. but first, they will try to come home with a two-game lead. game two in new york is coming up at 12:30 right here on nbc4. the first home games take place on monday and wednesday. puck drop for both those games is at 7:30. if necessary, game five through seven will alternate between new

york and d.c. it's a big weekend for football fans as washington looks to rebuild through the draft. and they got exactly what they wanted with their first pick brandon, describes himself as nasty and physical. but for a 320-pound man, he is also athletic and versatile. he played tennis basketball and baseball in high school. and now washington is hoping to use those assets to bolter its offensive line. this was the first time the team drafted a player in the first round since robert griffin iii was taken second overall in 2012. gm scott mclelan says he would like to get ten picks out of the draft, meaning the team is open to some trades. the nationals weren't outdone this week. they accomplished multiple feats not seen in franchise history. on back-to-back night, tuesday they rallied from their biggest ever deficit to beat the braves 13-12. and a night later they beat the braves again by scoring 13 rupps

again. that's a first in national's history, too. some are calling it a week of glory here in d.c. saturday d.c. united beat the western conference leader. sunday the wizards swept the raptors. monday, the caps won game seven. we just showed you what happened with the nats. we asked if winning is suddenly contagious around here. >> i'm a big proponent of that. whether it's us and the caps or the redskins or the nationals. i think it's just -- as a professional athlete you kind of feed off that of each other. the success of each other. >> playoff time you know the fans are very excited this time of year. not only because it's playoffs but it's warm outside and, you know anybody who is coming out seeing their favorite sports team strive for a championship. >> it was a first for major league baseball.

a game with no fans. but what was it like to be in the ballpark during the game? news4 ted collins found out. and much needed enjoyment on the streets of baltimore. the magician who showed up to entertain some police officers. skippy!! yippee!! fun fun fun! shiny! you never listen! what? is someone talking? ♪ skippy!! ♪ ♪ yippee!! ♪ i'm bored. hashtag bored. skippy!! yippee!! look a ride! (vo) made with the funnest peanuts ever! skippy. yippee!! ♪

can't talk about this week without talking about protests in baltimore. and the impact the events had on a team the city usually rallies around. the orioles played wednesday without a single fan in the stands. a picture even more striking after so many recent examples of cities uniting around their sports teams during difficult times. pat collins has unique perspective of what it was like inside the stadium. ♪ take me out to the ball game ♪ ♪ take me out to the empty park ♪ >> reporter: baseball history in baltimore, a professional baseball game without any baseball fans. >> man, i got to tell you, it's

just not the same when there are no friends around you. >> reporter: no cheer buddies, and when a big play happens, no one to share it with. hi. five. they played the national anthem but it was on tape. and no one was there to sing along. now, there were some fans around camden yards, in the streets and in the bar, but in the stands nothing. nobody. is it weird? >> pretty much. >> is it eerie? >> could be. >> what happened to the home field advantage? >> i have no idea. >> beer man. beer man. beer man. beer man. now, the orioles said they made this no-fan game decision after consulting with city officials. >> part of the reason we closed today was because we didn't want to take away from any resources

the city might need. >> it was an over reaction. premature decision made in haste. >> let's do the wave. your turn. ♪ for it's one, two, three strikes you're out at the empty ball game ♪ >> of course the day wasn't just unique for fans but also for players. it seems as though playing for empty seats had a playing impact to those on the field. >> this whole process is not easy man. we need -- we need this game to be played but we need the city to be healed first. >> i think when you start thinking about what it would require for us to play games here the amount of security what it would take away from the city you realize what's most important. and what's most important to us is that the city gets back on its feet. and we don't want to do anything to distract or take away from that.

>> the nine of clubs is now the bottom card. >> that's not the bottom. the bottom is down here. held it up. turn it. card was stuck underneath. >> he's not a sports star but this is really pretty cool. a lighter moment on the streets of baltimore courtesy of david blaine the street magician entertained the group of police officers with a few illusions. they posted this video on their twitter account. aching joints injured leg, furry paws. the new tech feeknique used to help heal our four-legged friend frkts. and a young woman stricken by a rare disease gets her time to shine.

every athlete has to treat their body right. now there is an underwater treadmill that promotes healing for injured legs and sore joints. it's allowing patients to make great strides. but these athletes walk on all

fours. nbc's wendy rieger takes a closer look. >> i know. i know. >> reporter: it's therapy day for juno the terrier. she got into a car accident and broke her fumeeeler. that's an entire that can leave a dog with a permanent limp or chon chonic pain. in is the h2oasis. warm water fills this tank to her shoulders and then a treadmill starts to roll and juno begins wet walkies. >> it takes the weight off the joints but the resistance in the water helps us build muscle. >> reporter: once or twice a week june no goes into this tank for therapy. >> fabulous. i think it's made a huge difference. >> reporter: the h2 oasis hayes mad a huge tool for veterinarians. they've gotten old and arthritic or gotten fat and could use

exercise with an assist. >> most of them tolerate this very well because the water gradually fills up from the bottom and it's also heated. >> reporter: the water eases the burden on the injured body part while at the same time adding resistance. >> typically this is a much harder workout than they would do on a 25-minute walk with their owner. >> reporter: juno's leg has improved greatly. >> she even jumps over logs and things like that. she chases deer. she's back to being pretty much her normal self. >> reporter: the ohasis costs $85 a visit and there are package plans which may be worth it to owners who don't want to be carrying their animals up and down the stairs. and most of all, want to see them out of pain. >> the oasis treadmill is at the friendship animal hospital here and they say they also use it for cats. walking a runway may not be considered a sport but this takes some guts. take a look at this beautiful young woman walking a runway in new york. she's using a walker and gets a

standing ovation from the crowd. it's an inspiring story of a young woman who didn't let a devastating disease discourage her from achieving her goal. and doreen beginsler caught up with her at a maryland hospital where he's recovering from a rare disease which up until a year ago had her paralyzed. >> reporter: there were no symptoms nothing at all unusual, just an ordinary day for megan who was then 16 years old. but for some reason on that day her immune system decided to wage war on her own body. >> i was terrified. i didn't really know what was happening. i didn't have any type of movement through my toes all of the way up to my arms. i have some move in the my left arm but none in my right. >> reporter: doctors told her she had developed adum acute disseminated mile united states.yeitis that attacks the tissue surrounding

the spinal cord. when that tissue is damaged the brain can't transmit signals to the rest of the body telling it how and where to move. so patients are paralyzed. >> what we see is devastating. >> reporter: the doctor specializes in spinal cord injuries at the kennedy kreeger institute in baltimore. she says many patients who develop it get better on their own but in about one-third of the cases, including megan's, there are major neurologic consequences. >> you can get better but you always have to walk with it. >> i think of why me but this isn't going to be me. >> reporter: after being on a ventilator in the intensive care unit for six days and then in the hospital for two weeks, megan says the virus had run its course. she soon learned that she would need to do intense physical therapy just to learn how to walk and use her body again. and then she got an offer that would change her life a fashion designer looking for an

inspirational story asked megan to model one of her looks during her show at new york fashion week. >> i was completely up for the challenge. i was like oh, of course i'll walk in new york fashion week. like what, you know young girl doesn't want to my first reaction was no first you learn how to walk normally and then you do the fashion walking. >> reporter: but after spending six hours a day in therapy at kennedy kreeger for nearly three months, megan was ready. ♪ she was still using her walker and the runway was a challenge, but with grace and beauty the maryland teenager strutted down that catwalk to a standing ovation from the crowd. >> when i was done i went in the back and like all the models were clapping and everyone was cheering. so that was exciting. >> if you have somebody that has a dream and then the right people around to help you with the dream, it will happen to you. >> now, since that fashion show

megan did have a setback, but she's back in therapy and she's close to regaining full movement and she's also hoping to have an acting career. don't look down. the stunts are getting higher and crazier. we look at record-setting wheel walk next.

this isn't something we're used to seeing during baseball season. detroit got a late blast of spring snow during the middle of the tiger's/yankee's game this week. it forced fans to bundle up group would think detroit players would be more acclimated. but maybe not, the yankees won, 13-4. extreme sports may be getting more extreme because daredevils are not just walking tightropes these days. this week nik wallenda took a stroll on the 400-foot tall orlando eye while it was moving. it was four-minute walk which

aired exclusively on the "today" show set a world record. he was miked up. he told matt and savannah the wind and water on the wheel post challenges. what what what. the draft may have washington football fans looking to the future but there is some bad news for the fan base. burgundy and gold fans have brad grammar. they make the most mistakes when commenting on the team's website. grammarly, proofreading company, did the study looked at how many writing mistakes were made on posts that were at least 50 words long. washington fans had more than 16 mistakes for every 100 words written. detroit fans on the other hand earned top english honors with just 4 mistakes per 100 words. and those are all of the words for us on "news4 this week." thanks for joining us. we leave you now with the

celebrations from the cap's game seven. let's hope for more celebration this afternoon. enjoy the game. ♪

eight championships, one home. the following is a presentation of nbc sports championship season. we welcome you to madison square garden in new york, second round of the stanley cup playoffs, game two, new york rangers/washington capitals. alex ovechkin, two points in the capitals' game one victory. rick 42 goals during the regular season. only ovechkin and steven stamkos scored more. rangers and caps, game two coming up. first to the studio. captions paid for by nbc-universal television