Alex Ovechkin to play in annual Russian 'Match of the Year' charity game between NHL and KHL stars

Ovechkin, a 40-year-old winger, will skate in the annual “Match of the Year” charity game on July 25. The event is organized by Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev and features NHL stars facing KHL players. This year’s game will be held outside Moscow at SKA Arena, the home rink of KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg. Ovechkin has participated in the previous two matchups. Last year’s NHL roster included former Capitals teammates Dmitry Orlov and Ilya Kovalchuk, along with many prominent NHL players. The KHL roster included players such as Vadim Shipachyov, Alexander Radulov, and Vitaly Kravtsov. Ovechkin was honored for breaking the NHL goals record, scored in a 15-3 NHL win, and took part in a t-shirt cannon moment.

"The 40-year-old winger is set to lace his skates up and again play in the annual “Match of the Year” on July 25. The friendly charity game is organized by fellow Russian NHLers Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev, and Ovechkin has participated in the previous two matchups, which have featured NHL stars taking on KHL players."

"This year’s event will take place outside of Moscow for the first time, hosted at the home rink of KHL club SKA Saint Petersburg, SKA Arena. Last year, Ovechkin was joined on the NHL side by former Capitals teammates Dmitry Orlov and Ilya Kovalchuk, as well as Sergachev, Panarin, Evgeni Malkin, Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Svechnikov, Pavel Buchnevich, Dmitry Kulikov, Kirill Marchenko, Dmitri Voronkov, Alexander Nikishin, Ilya Lyubushkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Vladislav Gavrikov, Andrei Kuzmenko, Artem Zub, Vasily Podkolzin, Alexander Romanov, Sergei Bobrovsky, and Kirill Kaprizov."

"Ovechkin was super busy during last year’s game, first being honored for breaking the NHL goals record and being gifted a new car. He then scored a goal in the eventual 15-3 win for the NHL players, skating on his team’s first line with Panarin and Svechnikov. During the first intermission, he also impressively operated a mounted turret t-shirt cannon."

"The full rosters for this year’s contest have not yet been revealed. The event’s social media account has teased the involvement of some participants, including Vegas Golden Knights winger Pavel Dorofeyev, and has even jokingly mentioned inviting Canadian stars like Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby."

Read at RMNB