When most people hear the term “Ovechkin Cup”, or “Ovi Cup”, they think of the Washington Capitals Stanley Cup run in 2018 and the ensuing celebrations led by captain Alex Ovechkin that followed. But there is another meaning for the term in Ovechkin’s native Russia.
Since 2018, there has been a hockey tournament for young players hosted each summer in the Moscow (Ovechkin’s home city) region, with the winning team receiving the Ovechkin Cup. Ovechkin himself participates in the festivities, including the awarding medals to the participants.
The tournament was first held in 2018 and held again in 2019. There was no tournament held in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twelve teams of players twelve years of age (born in 2009), mainly from Russia but also one team from the Czech Republic, participated. The twelve teams were: Dynamo (Moscow), SKA-Strelna (St. Petersburg), Traktor (Chelyabinsk), CSKA (Moscow), Salavat Yulaev (Ufa), Avangard (Omsk), Ak Bars (Kazan), Lokomotiv (Yaroslavl), Atlant (Moscow region), Chemist (Moscow region), Spartak “(Moscow), as well as a team from the Czech Republic known as the Knights.
CSKA won their second consecutive tournament, beating Dynamo Moscow in the final with a score of 13-1. Spartak earned Bronze, defeating Traktor by a score of 11-3.
Photo: All Russia Hockey
Ovechkin commented on the tournament. “We have good relations with the Moscow region, in principle, there was an idea to hold such a tournament. All the participants of the competition reacted positively, so they decided to hold it every year. we will hold a tournament every year.”
Several dignitaries attended the Finals, including Andrei Vorobyov (Governor of the Moscow Region), Roman Teryushkov (Minister of Physical Culture and Sports of the Moscow Region), and Valery Kamensky (President of the Hockey Federation of the Moscow Region).
Voroyov made the following speech before the final game. “I would like to express my gratitude to Alexander Ovechkin for the fact that during these years we are gathering teams of boys who are inspired by the ingenious game of hockey. I would also like to thank all the children’s coaches who work in our region, these are people who are trying to put everything in their children. the most important thing. Good luck, guys!”
Teryushkov commented, “The tournament is traditionally held before the start of the championship, which is held in Russia. Of course, in this format the teams have never met and will not meet with each other, because this competition brings together the leaders of all constituent entities and federal districts on one site. the whole country, no!”
More pictures of the event, from Krasnogorsk Admin Instagram account.
A few more pictures of the proceedings from the Instagram account of Kharitonova115.
Video footage from the Instagram of Natalia Deeva.
By Diane Doyle
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