Photo: @capivan8
During Wednesday’s practice, the Capitals welcomed a fourth Russian onto the ice. Four-year-old Maxim Goloschapov was flown from Moscow to Kettler Capitals Iceplex because he won a promotional campaign held by Bauer Russia.
A few months ago, Bauer asked their followers to “show us your hardest shot by putting it on Instagram with the hashtag #MX3Russia. The winner gets to go to Washington to meet Alex Ovechkin.” Teeny tiny Maxim won with these two videos.
Woah. Popping ballons? Forget hardest shot, this kid is going above and beyond.
Mother. Of. God.
Reminder: this kid is four. Four.
Ovechkin liked Maxim’s videos on Instagram, so Bauer declared Maxim the winner. I’m pretty sure sucking up to the judge by wearing his oversized Caps jersey helped.
On Tuesday, the family arrived in DC and went to both the National Air & Space and Natural History Museums.
On Wednesday, Maxim watched practice. Afterwards, he skated. He also met Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Dmitry Orlov. Ovechkin gave Maxim a stick, signed all of Maxim’s photos, and gave him this sage advice.
“Good luck,” Ovechkin began. “Work hard. Listen to your parents.”
Maxim’s mother chimes in. “Hold on to your stick.”
“And hold onto your stick,” Ovechkin says, laughing.
Later that night, Bauer hosted the family at Verizon Center where they got to watch the Caps take on the Rangers.
Below are all the Instagram photos from Maxim’s father’s account and Bauer Hockey. Prepare yourself: they are adorbz.
Photos
Translations by Igor Kleyner. Thanks to @jspears8 for telling us about the promotion.
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