Three guys, one cup. (Photo credit: ria.ru)
On Tuesday afternoon in Moscow, a giant double-decker bus adorned with World Championship logos ambled down Tverskaya Street (Moscow’s version of Broadway). Members of Russia’s championship team, including Capitals superstars Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin, were honored for their third IIHF championship in five years.
After the players waved to fans along the parade route, the bus arrived at its first destination, Manezhnaya Square, and the gold medal winners were escorted to a stage and cheered on by an estimated 4,000 fans. The players shared stories on the mic, a band played (but not this song– bummer), and the team was honored by a few ministers of sport.
Then it was off to their next stop: Novo-Ogarevo– and Vladimir Putin’s summer home.
There the on-again, off-again Russian president served the team dinner and gave each player a plaque, “a commendation for their contribution to the IIHF World Championship victory.” The players then presented Putin with gifts. Reportedly there were no poisonings at the event.
Ovechkin, who wore slippers to the Kremlin in 2008 after winning his first championship, actually dressed the part this time, wearing a navy blue suit sans tie. Semin apparently didn’t get the team memo about dark suits and instead wore a grey and pink number. He’s easy to pick out in the photos.
Caps prospect Evgeny Kuznetsov did not attend either ceremony due to — as Valery Fesyuk, executive director of the Russian Hockey Federation, put it — “treatment of an injury.”
The players will receive their world championship rings in August. Ovechkin will now return to France. “I have to go back to Roland Garros,” Ovi said. “I will be there to watch tennis and will be rooting for Ilya Kovalchuk, who fights for the Stanley Cup.”
Subtle. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Alex willfully breaks the “keep arms and heads inside the bus at all times” rule. (Photo credit: championat.com)
See him? Dude in the middle is totally taking a picture with his iPad. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Varly wrote the lyrics to “The Rains of Castamere” on this mask and then put it up on Etsy.
I know it was you, Fredo. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Sasha breaks dress code, ruins group photo. Tres énigmatique. (Photo credit: championat.com)
The humpty dance is Sasha’s chance to do the hump. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Geno gets the primary assist on Ovi’s trophy lift. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Nope. No idea. Some things are too Russian even for us.
Alex Semin high-fives his imaginary friend Woland. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Genuine smiles too sincere to spoil with a snide caption. (Photo credit: championat.com)
Putin and Geno discuss hockey fashion and vectors of male pattern baldness. (Photo credit: kremlin.ru)
Proud papa Putin with the Great Eight. (Photo credit: kremlin.ru)
Putin is visibly disappointed that there’s no chocolate inside. (Photo credit: kremlin.ru)
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