Moscow – Russian President Vladimir Putin has congratulated Alex Ovechkin to establish an “outstanding record” like all NHL times Upper scorer.
In a message after Ovechkin’s 895 race goal broke a draw for the record with Wayne Gretzky In the Washington capital game on Sunday against the islanders of New York, Putin said that the achievement was something that the Russians would celebrate.
“I congratulate you for your outstanding record. You have surpassed legendary masters in the amount of goals marked in the regular seasonal games of the National Hockey League,” Putin said in a statement published by the Kremlin on Monday.
Breaking the Gretzky record “has become not only its personal success, but also a true celebration for fans in Russia and abroad,” Putin added. “I wish you health, good fortune (and) struggle to conquer new heights in life and sports.”
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Putin and Ovechkin had not yet spoken on the phone, but that Putin’s congratulations showed the president “values the sports result of Ovechkin.”
Ovechkin has been a Putin sponsor in the past and in 2017 he established a group called Putin team In social networks to show support to the Russian president, who was re -elected the following year.
At the moment, Ovechkin said Associated Press and Washington Post, “only support to my country” and said: “It’s not about political things.”
Russian Sports Minister Mikhail Degtyev referred to that moment in his own statement of congratulations after Ovechkin broke the record on Sunday.
He published on social networks that Ovechkin “remains a member of the Putin team and at the same time one of the main faces of world hockey, a favorite of millions and the top scorer of the NHL.”
