WASHINGTON, DC — Alex Ovechkin wasn’t the only Ovi playing at Capital One Arena on Wednesday night. Sergei Ovechkin, Alex’s seven-year-old son, hit the ice in his dad’s home barn during first intermission as one of the Mites on Ice.
Rather than going back to the locker room, Alex, John Carlson, and Dylan Strome all opted to stay on the bench to watch Sergei’s big night and were later joined by injured star Tom Wilson.
“First game for #ovijr at the @capitalonearena with the best support💪🏼,” Nastya Ovechkina wrote on Instagram.
Sergei donned his father’s no. 8 and yellow skate laces for the game, as well as blue Dynamo Moscow socks. He didn’t score in the brief scrimmage, but he did show his father’s penchant for physicality.
After bringing Sergei to so many games as a spectator, Alex enjoyed the chance to watch his son play on the big stage.
“It’s great,” he said postgame. “He was nervous, and it’s a great day for him.”
Wednesday marked the second time this season Sergei has skated on Capital One Arena ice. Both he and younger brother Ilya joined their dad for warmups on November 26 ahead of a celebration honoring Ovechkin for reaching 900 goals and 1,500 games played. Ovechkin and several teammates also watched one of Sergei’s games together at MedStar Capitals Iceplex in September
Once he finished his own game on Wednesday, Sergei had a front-row seat to the action when Alex scored his 915th career goal late in the third period. The elder Ovechkin gave Sergei a fist bump through the glass as he celebrated.
If all goes well, the Capitals will be seeing Sergei at the 2036 draft.
