Oilers host Caps, Ovechkin a night after Russian star booed in Calgary

The Edmonton Oilers are set to host the Washington Capitals and forward Alex Ovechkin Wednesday evening, a night after the Russian star was booed in Calgary.

The star forward scored twice in his team’s 5-4 win over Calgary on Tuesday while also moving into third on the NHL’s all-time goals list.

A portion of the Saddledome crowd of 15,628 booed Ovechkin whenever he touched the puck, especially early in the game.

Ovechkin has historically been a vocal supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and the Capitals captain's Instagram account features a photo of himself standing beside Putin. A picture of the two is also Ovechkin’s Instagram profile photo.

Post-game Tuesday, Ovechkin spoke only about the game and his new spot in the record book.

On Feb. 25, he said of Putin, “he’s my president, but … I’m not in politics. I’m an athlete.”

Both the Flames and Oilers have shown support for Ukraine in its struggle against invading Russian armies, with the Ukrainian national anthem being played ahead of home games for both teams.

Alberta's provincial government on Friday donated $5 million to the World Ukrainian Congress for non-lethal civilian defensive equipment such as helmets and bulletproof vests, and another $5 million to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation for humanitarian aid.

Nearly 160,000 people in Edmonton are of Ukrainian descent while just over 90,000 reside in Calgary, according to the 2016 census.

"The Edmonton Oilers stand in solidarity alongside the people of Ukraine," Oilers Entertainment Group vice-president Tim Shipton said in a statement.

"Alberta is home to more than 345,000 people of Ukrainian heritage, and their culture and traditions are a significant part of the fabric of our community here in Oil Country.”

Money from Edmonton's progressive 50-50 draw Monday to Wednesday will go to the Canada-Ukraine Foundation.

The Oilers and Capitals get underway from Rogers Place at 6 p.m.

With files from the Canadian Press