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| Alex Ovechkin stays in Sochi after father has heart surgery | Alex Ovechkin stays in Sochi after father has heart surgery |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Thursday morning, as players whose teams had been eliminated from the 2014 Winter Olympic tournament in Sochi boarded charter flights to leave the Black Sea resort town, Alex Ovechkin was unexpectedly absent. | Thursday morning, as players whose teams had been eliminated from the 2014 Winter Olympic tournament in Sochi boarded charter flights to leave the Black Sea resort town, Alex Ovechkin was unexpectedly absent. |
| A few Russian players elected to remain for the closing ceremonies on Sunday, but Ovechkin’s stay was prompted by another devastating development. | A few Russian players elected to remain for the closing ceremonies on Sunday, but Ovechkin’s stay was prompted by another devastating development. |
| Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail, underwent surgery for a heart condition in Sochi earlier this week, Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee said Thursday. | Ovechkin’s father, Mikhail, underwent surgery for a heart condition in Sochi earlier this week, Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee said Thursday. |
| Following Russia’s preliminary-round game against Slovakia on Feb. 16, Mikhail Ovechkin, 62, experienced what McPhee described as “heart issues” that ultimately required surgery. He is now in stable condition, McPhee said. | Following Russia’s preliminary-round game against Slovakia on Feb. 16, Mikhail Ovechkin, 62, experienced what McPhee described as “heart issues” that ultimately required surgery. He is now in stable condition, McPhee said. |
| “The good news is he’s in stable condition, he’s out of ICU,” McPhee told reporters at the Capitals’ practice facility, adding that the timing of Ovechkin’s return to the United States is uncertain. “We’ve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad.” | “The good news is he’s in stable condition, he’s out of ICU,” McPhee told reporters at the Capitals’ practice facility, adding that the timing of Ovechkin’s return to the United States is uncertain. “We’ve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad.” |
| Mikhail Ovechkin’s health problems come just as Alex Ovechkin was handling the disappointment of the Russian men’s hockey team failing to medal for a third consecutive Olympics. | Mikhail Ovechkin’s health problems come just as Alex Ovechkin was handling the disappointment of the Russian men’s hockey team failing to medal for a third consecutive Olympics. |
| As the face of these Games, Ovechkin faced enormous pressure to deliver a gold medal on home ice but he recorded only one goal in the tournament — none in the final four games. Following Russia’s 3-1 loss to Finland in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Ovechkin was the only player called out by the Russian coach for not scoring enough. | As the face of these Games, Ovechkin faced enormous pressure to deliver a gold medal on home ice but he recorded only one goal in the tournament — none in the final four games. Following Russia’s 3-1 loss to Finland in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, Ovechkin was the only player called out by the Russian coach for not scoring enough. |
| But at approximately the same time, Ovechkin was being informed of his father’s condition. His family had kept the news of Mikhail Ovechkin’s health quiet, choosing not to tell the 28-year-old winger for three days, until Russia was eliminated from the tournament. Once he was told following the loss, Ovechkin immediately went to the hospital. | But at approximately the same time, Ovechkin was being informed of his father’s condition. His family had kept the news of Mikhail Ovechkin’s health quiet, choosing not to tell the 28-year-old winger for three days, until Russia was eliminated from the tournament. Once he was told following the loss, Ovechkin immediately went to the hospital. |
| “I’m sure his parents didn’t want him distracted, but family means everything,” McPhee said. “So that’s where he stays until he’s ready to come back.” | “I’m sure his parents didn’t want him distracted, but family means everything,” McPhee said. “So that’s where he stays until he’s ready to come back.” |
| McPhee said he does not know when Ovechkin will rejoin the Capitals nor does he have any expectations that the winger will be back when their NHL season resumes on Feb. 27 at Florida. | McPhee said he does not know when Ovechkin will rejoin the Capitals nor does he have any expectations that the winger will be back when their NHL season resumes on Feb. 27 at Florida. |
| Whenever Ovechkin does return, though, it’s impossible to gauge how these two misfortunes might influence him. | Whenever Ovechkin does return, though, it’s impossible to gauge how these two misfortunes might influence him. |
| The importance of performing well in the Olympics has weighed on Ovechkin for years leading up to Sochi and Russia’s disappointing exit in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics had a profound impact on his scoring output. | The importance of performing well in the Olympics has weighed on Ovechkin for years leading up to Sochi and Russia’s disappointing exit in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics had a profound impact on his scoring output. |
| “It’s certainly going to be a most difficult time in his life,” McPhee said. “The Olympics meant a great deal to him and his father’s sick, so it’s not going to be easy for him. But when he comes back we expect he’ll give us everything he’s got as he always has.” | “It’s certainly going to be a most difficult time in his life,” McPhee said. “The Olympics meant a great deal to him and his father’s sick, so it’s not going to be easy for him. But when he comes back we expect he’ll give us everything he’s got as he always has.” |
| Anyone who has attended even a few Capitals’ practices in Arlington knows how close Ovechkin his with his father. | Anyone who has attended even a few Capitals’ practices in Arlington knows how close Ovechkin his with his father. |
| Mikhail Ovechkin, an immense man with snow-white hair, rarely misses his son’s on-ice workouts when he is visiting from Moscow. He’s a fixture in the bleachers to the left of the team’s bench. Despite speaking little English, he offers happy greetings to those he recognizes – from Ovechkin’s teammates to reporters – as he ambles to the dressing room to collect his son so they can zoom off for a home-cooked meal. | Mikhail Ovechkin, an immense man with snow-white hair, rarely misses his son’s on-ice workouts when he is visiting from Moscow. He’s a fixture in the bleachers to the left of the team’s bench. Despite speaking little English, he offers happy greetings to those he recognizes – from Ovechkin’s teammates to reporters – as he ambles to the dressing room to collect his son so they can zoom off for a home-cooked meal. |
| Dave Sheinin and Natasha Abbakumova in Sochi contributed to this report. | Dave Sheinin and Natasha Abbakumova in Sochi contributed to this report. |
| More on the Capitals: | |
| Green passes neuropsychological test | |
| Caps look forward to USA-Canada | |
| How will Olympics affect Ovechkin? | |
| Signs point to Kuznetsov joining the Capitals |