10-Year-Old Girl Goes on a Sushi Date with Alex Ovechkin

Something you learn growing up is that it can be hard asking someone out on a date. How do you do it? In person? Do you call them? Send a text? What if the person you want to go out with says no? It could be really embarrassing!

Now imagine how nerve wracking it would be to ask out a professional athlete — especially a superstar like Washington Capitals’ captain Alexander Ovechkin. Sounds impossible, right? Not for a 10-year-old die-hard Caps fan named Ann.

Last month, Ovechkin hosted an American Special Hockey Association event at the Captials’ training facility. Ann, who has Downs Syndrome, was one of 60 kids on the ice. When she saw Ovi on the ice, she asked if he liked sushi. When he said he did, she invited him to a sushi date.

“I was pretty surprised when Ann skated over and asked me out during our skate,” Ovechkin said. “I thought it was a good idea and decided to take her up on it. It was great to see a smile on her face. She is a terrific and funny kid. She seemed to have a lot of fun and I was very pleased to spend some time with her.”



That’s right. Ann and Ovechkin went out to a sushi dinner. (Don’t worry, her parents were with them!). The big day was Sunday, and before their date Ann and her family spent the day with the Caps captain and the team before, during, and after their preseason game against the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Capitals documented Ann’s date with Ovi in a pretty great video:




The 2014 NHL season officially begins tonight. But we already have a contender for feel-good-story of the season.


Photos courtesy Washington Capitals