You're in Good Hands With Alex Ovechkin

@ovi8:

Me and Maria in city of LOVE.....

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Wikipedia:

The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is a street in Paris, France. With its cinemas, cafés, luxury specialty shops and clipped horse-chestnut trees, the Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the most famous streets and one of the most expensive strips of real estate in the world. Several French monuments are also on the street, including the Arc de Triomphe and the Place de la Concorde.

The name is French for Elysian Fields, the place of the blessed dead in Greek mythology. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is known as "The most beautiful avenue in the world", La plus belle avenue du monde in French.

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What Ovi is talking about?

ovi8:

Congrats babushki!!!! hahaha

MOSCOW, May 27 - RIA Novosti. "Buranovskiye Babushki (grandmothers)", who on Sunday night took second place in the finals of the European Song Contest "Eurovision-2012", were greeted at the airport in Moscow with welcoming dance and applause.

On the stage of the "Eurovision-2012" Udmurt band sang the song "Party For Everybody" with a great steaming Russian stove in the background where the national Udmurt dishes, perepechi, are prepared. At the end of the song people's favorite Natalia Pugacheva pulls the pan from the oven and treats her friends with the pies.

Reebok Washington Capitals Women's 3...

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KiriOvi in Paris

Alex Ovechkin in Paris to support his girlfriend Maria

Ой Саш, да мы с тобой в Париже, нужны как в бане эти.... пассатижи :-)

Roland-Garros, Paris, France, May 22-June 10, 2012, Red clay – Grand Slam – € 6,555,000
Singles - First round : Maria Kirilenko against Victoria Larrière (FRA)

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Alex Semin overslept

Alexander Semin, the Washington Capitals and the national team of Russia forward, did not show up at the press conference in Krasnoyarsk.

The Alexander Semin press conference was supposed to be held today in Krasnoyarsk at the "Arena North" arena. The Minister of Sport, Tourism and Youth of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Sergey Gurov was supposed to be at the attendance as well.

Alex Semin did not show up at the event, and his mobile phone was not available. The organizers managed to reach him over his home phone and Semin said that he overslept and won't come to talk to the media, reports Sports.ru

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Uncle Misha talks to the media

Alex Ovechkin's Dad gives an interview to Russian newspaper after the victory at IIHF World Cup (h/t to our field reporter Emily).

Trud.ru, May 22, 2012:

Mikhail Viktorovich, how often did you speak with Sasha during the course of the championship?
Sasha called us after each game. He would usually talk for a long time with his mother, and then Tatiana would pass the phone to me. I would ask Sasha how he would feel, about his health and he would tell me in details.

Did the sudden change of time zones and jet lag, in your opinion, influenced his physical condition?
Actually if Sasha would be even half-dead and he would still come to play if he was called to play for the national team, for his homeland.

But did he had to play hurt to some extent?
I don't think so. I hated to read different opinions of panicky nature on Internet forums. Say, those "superstar guys would come from America tired after the Stanley Cup playoffs and would mess up the Russian national team." And I'm glad that our guys put these skeptics in disgrace. Sasha's physical condition was good. As any professionals, all our NHL players are able to peak for a decisive game, even if the games' schedule, workouts, long flights make it difficult. And not only they peaked, they were able to quickly find a common language with new partners. Both Sasha Semin and my son immediately fit into the system. Pavel Datsyuk and defencemen interacted with them very well. Well, special thanks to Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. The games' discipline in all 10 games was on top. And overseas masters together with KHL players all worked with a maximum benefit for the team.

Have you already celebrated a victory with your son?
Not yet. Sasha immediately flew from Moscow to France. His vacation has already begun. But we will communicate with him more, discuss all the details of this championship victory not only over the phone, but at the home table.

Was our team invited to the celebrations at the Kremlin and other iconic places?
Neither Alex nor I still don't know anything about it. At the airport six players didn't receive their luggage. But we are the Russians, we have been accustomed to such situations long time ago. And these minor troubles don't knock out us of a rut. Especially with this joyous event in the back of your mind!

Source: http://www.trud.ru/article/22-05-2012/276458_mixail_ovechkin_sasha_priedet_v_sbornuju_po_pervomu_vyzovu_dazhe_polumertvyj.html

Sounds like Tiatiana, the Iron Lady - Mom, keeps everything under control.

So why Alex flew to France? Here's why...

MariaKirilenko.Com:

Internationaux de Strasbourg
Strasbourg, France
May 21-26, 2012
Red clay – WTA International – $ 220,000
Singles
- First round : Sloane Stephens (USA) won, 3-6, 7-5, 0-0 (retirement, right ankle injury)
Next tournament : Roland-Garros (27 May-9 June 2012)

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Alex Ovechkin talks to Mike Vogel

05-22-12 Alex Ovechkin One-on-One
Caps captain Alex Ovechkin sits down with Mike Vogel for a Caps365 exclusive one-on-one interview.

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Ovechkin talks to media after the final game

Russia 6, Slovakia 2 - Post game comments from - Ovechkin (RUS), Datsyuk (RUS), Perezhogin (RUS) **in Russian**, Tatar (SVK), Chara (SVK) and Radivojevic (SVK)

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Russia wins the gold

After team Russia won the IIHF world championship defeating Slovakia (6:2), thousands of people went to the streets of Moscow. The Tverskaya street almost turned into a pedestrian zone where the fans with Russian flags are congratulating each other and chanting "We are the champions!". Also hundreds of cars are moving to the direction of Sheremetyevo airport, where Zinetula Bilyaletdinov's team is arriving at 3:15, reports Sport-Express correspondent Marat Araslanov.

Alex Ovechkin assisted on two goals and Alex Semin scored twice vs. Slovakia.

Russian woman is shouting, "Ovechkin, sunshine, look here, our handsomest, awesomest man, I wish I were young..." :-)

Semin scores first goal after Datsyuk's pass to Ovechkin who sets up Alex Semin.

Russia 6, Slovakia 2.
Goals:
Semin, 10 (Datsyuk, Ovechkin), Perezhogin, 26 (Popov), Tereshchenko, 33 (Zherdev, Shirokov), Semin, 35 (Datsyuk), Datsyuk, 43 (Ovechkin, Semin), Malkin, 58 (Nikitin, Nikulin)

Chara, 1 (Surovy); Chara, 49 (Shatan, Surovy).

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Ovechkin scores vs. Finland

Ovechkin makes it 3-1. Russia beats Finland 6:2 and advances to the finals of IIHF World Cup.

IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship 2012. SEMIFINALS: Russia vs Finland - 19 MAY 2012 3:1 Goal OVECHKIN, Alexander (DENISOV, Denis; POPOV, Alexander)


Game highlights

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Ovechkin is11th most marketable athlete of 2012

By Eoin Connolly, SportsPro Media, May 17, 2012, "50 Most Marketable 2012 - Alex Ovechkin":

The Washington Capitals captain has been a Sochi 2014 ambassador since 2009 and is already his country’s biggest sporting star; his quest to lead a talented but underachieving team to the ultimate prize should be the defining narrative of Russia’s first winter Games. The NHL’s new partnership with Russian broadcaster VGTRK | RTR, initially signed for one year, will see domestic expectation build further.

Back in Washington, Ovechkin remains one of the league’s big draws. He has led his team’s scoring again, despite an occasionally off-colour season in which he refused an invitation to the All-Star game during a three-game suspension in January and has struggled for time on the rink in a more conservative post-season Capitals system.

Away from the ice, he has been stepping out with Russian tennis player Maria Kirilenko, generating column inches on both sides of the Bering Strait.

The 26-year-old’s representative at IMG, David Abrutyn, has been typically busy. In the space of a few autumn days last year, he added longterm deals with Nike and Bauer to the portfolio of Russia’s most heavily endorsed male athlete.

SportsPro Media is part of the Henley Media Group - a diversified London based media business, with a portfolio of mature, rapid growth and early stage, wholly owned businesses, built through strategic acquisitions and organic launches.

Working in partnership with an international portfolio of rights holders, sports sponsors, marketing professionals, broadcasters, governing bodies, federations, sports agencies and manufacturers, we have built an enviable reputation for the quality, depth and integrity of our products and services.

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Ovechkin scores go-ahead goal vs. Norway at IIHF World Cup

Russia advances to semifinals beating Norway 5:2. Their next opponent will be the winner of Finland - USA quarterfinal game.

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Ovechkin talks to Russian media

Video & Interview via Sovetsky Sport/Pavel Lysenkov


Alexander, you had some disciplinary problems at the World Championships in Cologne (2010) and Bratislava (2011). Now can we expect that everything will be fine? 
I don't think there were such problems there. But every man has his own head on his shoulders. Now it's not the time or place to break the rules.

Do you understand that with Zinetula Bilyaletdinov you will not get that much of a freedom like with Vyacheslav Bykov? 
We have never had a total freedom. It's just that our relationship was built on trust. I don't know how it will be now. We will be having a team dinner soon. I'll get into details later. And now I can't say much about it.


Have you seen the national team's games? Your playoff run with Washington was very intense. 
I saw only a few replays. Talked to Nikula once (Ilya Nikulin, captain and longtime friend of Ovechkin - Ed.). But I haven't seen the games from start to finish. Although I went on Internet, read the news. I knew that the Russian team was playing well. Hopefully, our arrival with Syoma will not worsen the team's game. Just the opposite, we can only help.

A year ago, you've sent a text to Ilya Nikulin, "I'm coming, prepare the bed!" Did you call Bilyaletdinov this time as soon as Washington lost the series vs. Rangers? 
I received a text from Igor Kravchuk (Team Russia's scout in North America - Ed.). I got on the bus and replied that I would call back; still had to give an interview, collect things. Later we caught up, and Kravchuk asked, "Do you have any desire to go to the World Cup?" I instantly replied: "Of course I do!" Then Zinetula Haydyarovich called. We talked, and I immediately agreed. And two days later I flew to Stockholm.

You had a long season behind you in the NHL. Do you still have any energy left? 
Of course I do! Compared to previous seasons I was getting less ice time. But I was giving it all when I was let out on the ice. I do have energy both physically and emotionally left.

Are you not afraid that with the national team you won't get much of playing time?
I'm already playing less. It used to be 20-25 minutes per game and now it is 10-12 minutes.

Do you mean your club or the national team? Former head coach Vyacheslav Bykov had you on he third or fourth line. 
Who cares about the line numbers? The priorities with the national team are different. Everything is done in order to win the world championship. This is not a long NHL season where you can make changes in line combinations. Here, at the World Cup, there are just three games left. You must immediately team up and play at full strength.


Your head coach Dale Hunter has retired. They say the contract with Semin won't be renewed... Who said that Syoma's contract won't be renewed?

It was ESPN, serious guys. 
Well, serious guys can sometimes make mistakes too. Let's watch how this situation will develop. The Washington Capitals just ended the season this Saturday. It is too early to talk about with whom the contracts will be extended. Hunter left because of the personal matters, family related. But you have to go out and play for any coach. The team is above all. Everybody understands it. If you're going to think while playing, "Damn, I don't want to play for this man," it won't do any good. All the guys are out there blocking and fighting. And if you say something like that, they will look askance at you.

You've had a mixed year. If the Russian national team will win the gold, would you say, "The season was great!"? 
It is necessary to finish the year on a good note. If I have had any health problems or lost the desire, I would not come here. I would not spoil the atmosphere and make the team worse. I know that I am ready and that I can help the team.

And do not spoil anything. 
Of course. Because you write in the newspapers that Ovechkin ram-shackled the team (smiled).

Why you didn't talk to the Russian media for entire season? 
But I am talking now.

But back then, you didn't. 
There was a reason for that.

Source: http://www.sovsport.ru/gazeta/article-item/526976

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Ovechkin talks to media on breakdown day

5/14/2012 Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media on breakdown day at KCI.

Ovi is leaving to the World's championship in 5 hours.

capitals.nhl.com:

Ovechkin, 26, led the Capitals in scoring during the 2011-12 season with 65 points (38 goals, 27 assists) in 78 games played.

He finished the campaign ranked fifth in the NHL in goals and tied for the fifth-highest total in shots on goal (303).

Ovechkin has scored the most goals (339) and points (679) in the NHL since the 2005-06 season. He scored his 30th goal of the season on March 18 in Chicago and became the ninth player in NHL history to score 30 or more goals in his first seven seasons in the league.

The Caps captain also became just the third player in the league to have scored 30 or more goals in every season since 2005-06 (his rookie season).

Ovechkin’s 339 goals in his first seven seasons are the seventh-most in NHL history and he was the only player in the league to score 30 or more goals (38) and also dish out 200 or more hits (215) in 2011-12.

Ovechkin finished the postseason with nine points (five goals, four assists) in 14 games. His power-play goal in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals was the 30th playoff goal of his NHL career, coming in his 50th postseason game.

He's the first NHL player to score at least 30 goals in his first 50 Stanley Cup playoff games since Joe Sakic reached the 50-game mark with 33 goals in May 1997.

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Caps win game 6 vs NY Rangers

5/9/12 Alex Ovechkin punishes a one-timer against the grain to puts the Caps ahead early.



5/9/12 Alex Ovechkin charges into the Rangers zone and flips a shot off the crossbar.



5/9/12 Sit, Spin, and Shoot: Alex Ovechkin shoots from the seat of his pants in the third period of Game 6.


Ovechkin's stats:

1 goal, total ice time 15:14, 17 shifts, average 00:53, PP 02:44, shorthanded 00:01, even 12:29, 3 shots on goal, 3 missed, 5 hits, 3 blocked shots

5/9/12 Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media after a 2-1 win in Game 6 at Verizon Center.


James Mirtle ‏ @mirtle:

Ovechkin's 0.60 playoff goals per game is better than Gretzky, Bure, Kurri, Hull (both), etc. Only Lemieux, Bossy, Richard and Neely higher.

Tiësto ‏ @tiesto:

Yay @washcaps @ovi8 @backstrom19 @ClubGlow congratulations! Game 7 it is!

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Ovechkin talks to media prior to game 6

05-09-12 Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media prior to tonight's Game 6 against the New York Rangers.

Ovi:

You don’t want the season to start over for next year. And you don’t want season be ended tonight. It’s going to be do-or-die. Right now everybody knows and everybody understands we just can’t go home right now. I don’t think we deserve to end the season. Everybody knows, I think, we [have a] good hockey club. We beat the Stanley Cup champion in Game 7 at home. Last game they got a little luck… Tonight is going to be different game and tonight is going to be a much different atmosphere.

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It's a lottery! Caps lose it with 21.3 seconds left.

Caps lead 3-2 with 21.3 seconds left in regulation when Joel Ward gets 4 minutes high sticking penalty. Rangers score on the first 2 minutes PP, and again in OT with the other 2 minutes of PP. Ovi: "You can't say it was [Ward's] fault. We all lost the game. We win as a group and lose as a group."



Ovi gets primary assist on Brooks Laich goal (1-1)

Ovechkin' stats:

1 assist, +1, total ice time 19:08, 25 shifts, average 00:45, PP 05:12, even 13:56, 0, shots on goal, 1 attempt blocked, 1 missed, 3 hits, 1 giveaway, 2 blocked shots

Ovi had zero shots on goal, according to this tweet by @NHLBlinn "Ovechkin has been without a shot 4x in 553 career regular-season games, 2x in 49 playoff games."



Ovi blocks a shot (h/t to RMNB)

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Captain Ovechkin talks to media after Sunday''s morning skate. 5/6/12

5/06/2012 Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media after Sunday's practice at KCI.


5/05/2012 Alex Ovechkin blows a ballistic shot past the glove hand of Lundqvist for a 1-0 lead.


Alex Ovechkin gets two minutes for charging

Washington Capitals defeats Rangers 3-2 to knot the series at 2.

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Ovechkin talks to the media after Friday's practice. 5/4/12

05-04-12 Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media after Friday's practice at KCI.

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Caps lose in triple OT

Ovechkin's stats:

Total ice time 35:14, 37 shifts, average 00:57, PP 05:15, even 29:59, 5 shots on goal, 5 attempts blocked, 4 missed, 9 hits, 2 giveaways, 1 blocked shot, 1 faceoff won

Caps players Alex Ovechkin, Matt Hendricks, Troy Brouwer and Brooks Laich address the media after a 2-1 triple OT loss in Game 3 at Verizon Center. 5/02/2012 9:21 Mins

Jumping the Gun Alex Ovechkin jumps on the ice in OT steals the puck and bangs it off the post, but can't get the winner. 5/02/2012 0:43 Mins

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Ovechkin talks before game 3 vs. Rangers

The series is tied 1-1.
Caps captain Alex Ovechkin addresses the media prior to tonight's playoff Game 3 against the Rangers. 5/02/2012 1:34 Mins

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Ovechkin scores GWG vs. Rangers

Ovechkin scores game winning goal on power play

04-30-12 Caps Postgame Locker Room Caps players Alex Ovechkin, Mike Knuble, Braden Holtby, Brooks Laich, and Nicklas Backstrom address the media after a 3-2 win in Game 2.

Alex Ovechkin draws iron, with the rebound sitting behind Henrik Lundqvist before getting a whistle.

Ovechkin's stats:

1 goal, total ice time 13:36, 18 shifts, average 00:45, PP 03:00, even 10:36, 7 shots on goal, 3 attempts blocked, 2 hits, 1 blocked shot

A record low total ice time, 7 shots on goal and a game winning goal, wow.

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