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Alex Ovechkin Hosts Private Skate with 35 Youth Hockey Players from Ft. Dupont, Is a Big Kid Himself (Video)

By Ian Oland

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March 24, 2015 10:46 am

alex-ovechkin-ft-dupont-skate

Photo: @beatsbydre

Monday afternoon, after surprising six-year-old Bensten Schone at his McLean, VA home, Alex Ovechkin decided– oh heck, let’s just make 35 more kids’ days too.

Ovechkin and Beats By Dre hosted youth hockey players from Fort Dupont’s Ice Hockey Club for a practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex. Former Caps and current CSN Washington analysts Alan May and Brent Johnson joined in on the fun too.

While the event was sponsored by a multi-billion dollar company, Ovechkin did not spend his time shilling merchandise. Instead, he skated with the kids and was a big adorable goofball.

See exhibits a, b, and c.

Video courtesy of Monumental Network. See the full video here.

Aw.

I’m starting to get why Ovechkin connects with children so well. It’s his enthusiasm and playfulness, which essentially makes him a big kid himself. The only difference is that soon he will have the schooling to be the equivalent of a doctor.

Beats By Dre gave a shout-out to Ovechkin late Monday, just to show how gosh darn proud they were.

So are we. Ovi for King Clancy.

More words from the Caps:

Nearly 35 youth hockey players from the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club will participate in a special event with NHL star Alex Ovechkin, presented by Beats by Dr. Dre (Beats), on Monday, March 23 at 4 p.m., at Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Va.

Ovechkin will lead the on-ice practice with players and will be joined by former NHL goaltender Brent Johnson and forward Alan May. In addition, all players in attendance will be presented with special gifts, provided by Beats by Dr. Dre, and will take part in a special Q&A session with Ovechkin. Following the event, Eco Caters will serve a special dinner for the players.

The clinic is among several community initiatives Ovechkin has supported throughout the 2014-15 season. In September, Ovechkin held an American Special Hockey Association (ASHA) skating session at Kettler Capitals Iceplex and hosted an ASHA player at a game in October. Earlier this year he donated a car to ASHA that was presented to him following the 2015 NHL All-Star Game. Ovechkin also supports organizations that work with children to grant their wish, having most recently granted the wish of 18-year-old Salt Lake City, Utah, native Reagan. In addition, in 2006 Ovechkin created Ovi’s Crazy 8s, a program through which he purchases and donates eight Capitals season tickets to Most Valuable Kids, allowing fans who normally wouldn’t have access to tickets the opportunity to attend Capitals games at Verizon Center. Since its inception, Ovi’s Crazy 8’s has provided more than 3,500 children, soldiers and their families with the opportunity to see a Capitals home game free of charge.

In January, Ovechkin starred in Beats’ critically acclaimed global campaign for the popular Powerbeats2 Wireless headphones. Click here to watch.

Founded in 1978 by Neal Henderson, the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Program (FDIHP) is a development program that provides local and inner-city youth in Washington, D.C., the opportunity to participate in an organized ice hockey program. Fort Dupont Ice Arena is the only full-size indoor ice arena in Washington, D.C., and is home to the oldest minority youth hockey program in North America.

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