Alex Ovechkin away from Capitals due to death of his father

By The Associated Press

Alex Ovechkin says his father, Mikhail, has died at age 71. The Washington Capitals captain delivered the news in Russian on his Instagram account along with family photos and video. Ovechkin left the team yesterday to tend to a family health matter regarding a loved one. Coach Peter Laviolette said he expected Ovechkin to be gone for at least the rest of the week and away for the foreseeable future. Ovechkin’s father had not been in Washington in recent years while dealing with health issues at home in Moscow. Before that, Mikhail was a familiar face at the Capitals’ practice facility and at games watching his son.