Possibly the most famous ice hockey player on the planet right now, two-time NHL MVP Alexander Ovechkin, has been showcasing his sporting heritage in Sochi.
The Washington Capital star, whose father and mother excelled in football and basketball respectively, was showing his pitch skills down south. The event marked two years since Sochi was named as host of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Ovechkin’s team was made up mostly of the country’s celebrities and legendary sportsmen, for instance four-time Olympic champ, gymnast Aleksey Nemov. Their opposition – ironically called ‘Druzhba’ or ‘Friendship’ – was composed of Sochi’s top officials.
Ovechkin was playing as goalie in the first half, but couldn’t keep the net untouched. In the second, Ovechkin appeared as a forward, determined to upset the Sochi clerks. And he managed to do it, sending the ball in the high left corner of the net after a perfect distance shot. However, this time around, it wasn’t about the winner or the loser, and the result took a backseat.
After the match, Ovechkin made sure to praise Russia's efforts in securing the 2014 Winter Olympics.
”I’m very proud of my country. I’m proud of Sochi for winning the bid to host the Olympic Games,” said Ovechkin, adding that his “own focus next season is on the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.”