Ovi poses with Maria, Artem, and Uncle Pavel. (Photo: @Ovi8)
All five Washington Capital Olympians packed their bags and left for the airport on Sunday. Players were scheduled to catch their NHLPA-arranged flights out of Newark International Airport around noon.
According to Nicklas Backstrom at Saturday’s morning skate, the players would fly directly into Sochi on a ten-hour flight. He was not looking forward to it.
“I’m not even sure it’s going to be exciting the first hour,” Backstrom said on Saturday. “Everyone’s going to be tired. We’ll get as much sleep as we can because when we wake up it will be morning. We need to get into a rhythm right way with [Russian] time.”
On Sunday, Alex Ovechkin, Backstrom, and John Carlson were all spotted by Rich Clune Chere of The Star-Ledger and NJ.com at Newark’s airport.
Alex Ovechkin arrives in Newark for charter flight to Sochi. http://t.co/7Jrs9Ejsbn pic.twitter.com/Lnf7l5XZlj
— Rich Chere (@Ledger_NJDevils) February 9, 2014
Alex Ovechkin begins journey to Sochi. http://t.co/7Jrs9Ejsbn pic.twitter.com/qJHi2MPpdm
— Rich Chere (@Ledger_NJDevils) February 9, 2014
Capitals defenseman and New Jersey native John Carlson (center) on way to Olympics this morning. pic.twitter.com/cXga0N4NCf
— Rich Chere (@Ledger_NJDevils) February 9, 2014
Ovechkin and Maria Kirilenko also tweeted out some photos. Ovi, wearing Nike everything, posted a picture of himself posing with Maria, Pavel Datsyuk, and Artem Anisimov with the caption, “Going to Sochi! We’ll be in our homeland soon!”
https://twitter.com/ovi8/status/432603515652153345
Maria also tweeted out her Sochi ID card.
Coming closer and closer ! Can't wait to see Sochi!! @Olympic_Russia @Sochi2014 pic.twitter.com/vyojSTvseu
— Maria Kirilenko (@mkirilenko) February 9, 2014
As well as her and Ovi rubbing their feet together for a pic on the plane.
Ready for take off pic.twitter.com/v1zwmejPZi
— Maria Kirilenko (@mkirilenko) February 9, 2014
