On Friday (but taped on Tuesday), Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin appeared on Russian Channel One’s late night show, Evening Urgant. Hosted by popular comedian (and actor and musician) Ivan Urgant, the show — which closely resembles Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno — features jokes and skits from Urgant, celebrity interviews, and musical guests.

The Russian machine, making his first appearance on a late-night show in his career, spoke about the upcoming Winter Olympics in Sochi and revealed more about his engagement to Maria Kirilenko. For example: Ovi allowed her to pick out a ring before he took the plunge. “So, she chose the ring,” Ovechkin explained. “I never said that I’m gonna propose on that day. Just pick a ring. I’ll think about if I’ll buy it or not.”

Ovechkin participated in skits as well. Ovi used a hockey stick (with a spoon taped to the blade) to feed Urgant tiramisu pie. “The stick may not only be a weapon,” Urgant joked. The interview continued while they fed each other. Wacky.

Video of Ovechkin’s Full Appearance

Ovechkin feeds Urgant pie at 37:40.

GIFs

Created by welshhockeyfan. View more GIFs of Ovi’s appearance.

Ovechkin also appeared at the beginning of the broadcast to help make a joke about circumcision.

[Ovi and Urgant measure sticks.]

Ivan Urgant: Your [stick] is longer.
Alex Ovechkin: Yours is cut.

[awkward pause]

Ivan Urgant: Oh yeah, the stick.

During Ovechkin’s interview (23:50 in the video), he talked about how he spent his summer and his relationship with Maria Kirilenko.

Ivan Urgant: How did you, a winter sport player, spend your summer?
Alex Ovechkin: I was resting, traveling to different countries. Tennis countries.

Ivan Urgant: The question arises whether you traveled alone, Sasha.
Alex Ovechkin: Nope, we had a big team. There were three people. (Laughs.)

Ivan Urgant: I was expecting you to say that you traveled with Masha Kirilenko. Who was on the team?
Alex Ovechkin: Her father, personal coach, Masha, and me.

Ivan Urgant: Am I right that her father and personal coach have to travel because Masha has to practice?
Alex Ovechkin: Sure. Her father is her coach, in fact. Same person.

Ivan Urgant: Alright. Most importantly, does Masha know he is?
Alex Ovechkin: Sure.

Ivan Urgant: It would’ve been quite the surprise. “I am yout father, Masha”. I wated to know, where you were?
Alex Ovechkin: In France, in London.

Ivan Urgant: It’s in…
Alex Ovechkin: Europe.

Ivan Urgant: Are you testing my geography knowledge?
Alex Ovechkin: You better not test mine.

Ivan Urgant: I’m not gonna do it.
Alex Ovechkin: That’s right.

Ivan Urgant: But have you been to the beaches this summer?
Alex Ovechkin: Sure, we were in Turkey. I’m on vacation, but it’s in a midst of a season for her. We found time and went to Turkey with friends.

Ivan Urgant: How do the people like you, real men, not only looking like real men, but also act like real men, in sports, in life, how did you propose? How did it happen?
Alex Ovechkin: When you said “people like you”, I thought “that’s it, we’re getting carried away”, but it went OK here, you turned.

Ivan Urgant: Usually when people say “people like you” to me, I think “that’s it, we’re getting carried away, I should’ve not worn bow tie today”. So, how did you propose?
Alex Ovechkin: It was at the New Year’s, we were at the dacha, my family, her family, my friends all came together, we were celebrating the New Year. Right as the striking clock sounded, well not exactly at that moment, but we’ve gone upstairs at our room, I fell on one knee and proposed like a gentleman.

Ivan Urgant: Were you anxious?
Alex Ovechkin: Sure, I was losing my freedom.

Ivan Urgant: Oh, in that sense. (Everyone laughs.)

[Co-host Alexander Oleynikov chimes in:]

Alexander Oleynikov: Sasha, are you aware that after those news, the engagement news, you took away all motivation from women’s Russian national hockey team to play? No one knows why the girls should play now.
Alex Ovechkin: For Russia, not for me.

Ivan Urgant: So, Sasha [Oleynikov], you suppose that if girls go play hockey they hope to meet boys from hockey someday? Do you think it works like that?
Alexander Oleynikov: Why else?

Alex Ovechkin: We do meet at the Olympic village, right?
Ivan Urgant: Everyone meets at the Olympic village.

Alex Ovechkin: Get to know each other…
Alexander Oleynikov: Marry…

Ivan Urgant: That’s a slogan: “Olympic village. We meet.” So you chose the ring, those were some special words.
Alex Ovechkin: Well, she chose the ring.

Ivan Urgant: So she knew.
Alex Ovechkin: Of course she did (audience laughs). Well, wait, it’s not all that bad here.
Ivan Urgant: We think it’s all very good here. You’re the first one to talk about the magic process of engagement on our show. Thanks for that.

Alex Ovechkin: I like to be the first.
[…]
Alex Ovechkin: So, she chose the ring. I never said that I’m gonna propose on that day. Just pick a ring. I’ll think about if I’ll buy it or not.

Ivan Urgant: That’s important. How long were you thinking to buy it or not. Were you surprised by the ring?
Alex Ovechkin: My good friend made it so it was okay. You need to have people everywhere.

Finally, Ovechkin also gave Urgant a present (36:09 of the video): a white Russian Olympic jersey. To return the favor, Urgant played a video he made for him. It’s a photo from RMNB where Ovi’s teeth animate along with organ music.

Additional reporting by Ian Oland.