Trump hails ‘great’ Ovechkin
(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump has lauded Russian ice hockey star Alexander Ovechkin for breaking the National Hockey League’s all-time scoring record, calling him a “great player” and a “gentleman” after the milestone. Ovechkin, at 39 years old, surpassed Wayne Gretzky’s long-held record of 894 goals during Sunday’s game against the New York Islanders.
Trump praised Ovechkin's achievement, saying, “Great hockey player, a great gentleman just broke the record of Wayne Gretzky. The great one is Wayne Gretzky, but we have another great one, huh? Just broke the record, it was great.” Gretzky had scored 894 goals over 1,487 games, while Ovechkin reached that number in his 1,486th game, breaking the record with his 895th goal in the next game.
The historic goal was scored during the second period of the Islanders game, with Ovechkin firing past goaltender Ilya Sorokin. The NHL stopped play to honor Ovechkin’s accomplishment, with Gretzky and NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman congratulating him.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also congratulated Ovechkin, celebrating the record-breaking moment as a triumph for fans in Russia and worldwide. Ovechkin, a three-time world champion and 2018 Stanley Cup winner, has spent his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals.
The Russian embassy in the US also highlighted the support Ovechkin received from American fans as his pursuit of Gretzky’s record captivated the nation. Talks between Putin and Trump in March discussed the possibility of organizing hockey games between American and Russian players, showcasing the continued strength of Russia's hockey tradition despite the country's exclusion from many international competitions.
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