ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — The happiest professional athlete outside of soccer over Lionel Messi’s World Cup victory it could be hockey star Alex Ovechkin.
A longtime Messi fan, Ovechkin reveled in how Messi got the job done for Argentina, including scoring twice and converting a penalty in the instant clásico final against France. on Sunday.
“I was very excited,” Ovechkin said Monday. “Of course, everyone knows that he is my favorite player and to see him finally achieve his dream and win the World Cup, it is very big for him and I am very happy for him.”
Ovechkin received a Messi Barcelona jersey as a gift from his teammates to celebrate his 1,000th NHL game three years ago and met him and took photos with him.
There are many parallels between Ovechkin finally hoisting the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in his 13th NHL season and Messi winning the World Cup in his last chance at age 35. franchise history and won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, Messi was dominant throughout the tournament, becoming the first player to score in group play and in each of the knockout rounds.
“Yes, but I don’t know how he’s going to celebrate it,” Ovechkin said. “That’s a different part of the story.”
Ovechkin and the Capitals were famous for swimming in fountains in Washington and partying with the Cup like few teams have done in recent history. Messi would have to put on quite a show in Buenos Aires to match that feat.
As he watches Messi fulfill his dream, Ovechkin is about to make more history. in his sport. Last week he became the third player to reach the 800 goal mark. and is one away from tying and two away from passing Gordie Howe for second on the NHL rushing list.
Ovechkin met Howe, who died in 2016, at the 2009 All-Star Game in Montreal and has a photo of them at his home autographed by “Mr. Hockey.”
“It’s probably the best in my collection,” Ovechkin said. “Obviously, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky’s stick, Mario Lemieux’s stick, it’s probably the best.”
___
Follow AP hockey writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
