Ovechkin — and Ovi Jr. — hit ice on All-Star Skills night
SUNRISE, FLA. >> When you've got the second-most goals in NHL history, you're evidently permitted to bring a guest onto the ice for the All-Star Skills competition.
That's why there were two No. 8 Washington jerseys out there Friday night.
Capitals star Alex Ovechkin took the ice with his Metropolitan Division teammates — and his oldest child, 4-year-old Sergei.
Sergei, named for Ovechkin's late brother, was wearing an Ovi Jr. jersey. The kid has built a bit of a following in recent weeks, after scoring a goal at a Caps practice in December and playing a role in helping the Washington crowd celebrate his dad's 800th goal.
It was Ovi Jr.'s first chance at being part of an All-Star weekend. His father hasn't participated at All-Star since 2018, either because of COVID-19 or injuries. The last time his dad played in an All-Star event, Sergei hadn't been born.
Alex Ovechkin has 812 goals. He only trails Wayne Gretzky's 894 in NHL history.
And later in the night, Ovi Jr. got to center a line alongside his dad and Pittsburgh great Sidney Crosby. They each got an assist on a goal that Sergei scored — beating Roberto Luongo, the Florida Panthers great who came out of retirement for All-Star weekend.
Said Ovechkin after his
son scored: “I think he's really enjoying it.”
WELCOME HOME, LU >> Luongo got to be part of one more AllStar competition. In a building where a banner bearing his No. 1 jersey hangs — he's the only former Panthers player to have that distinction — Luongo was a celebrity goaltender during the Breakaway Challenge during the Skills Competition on Friday night.
He stopped his lone shot in the breakaway, off the stick of Toronto's Mitch Marner. On one hand, Marner is the Maple Leafs' leading scorer this season. On the other hand, he was also wearing a white suit, sunglasses and a light blue Tshirt to keep with a “Miami Vice” theme.
Luongo was up to the challenge. Marner tried to beat him to the glove side, but Luongo got enough of it to make the save — then flopped forward to cover up the rebound, the smile clearly seen through his mask.