Let Me See Your Poker Face! Ovechkin to Try His Hand at Texas Hold-Em

As hockey and poker are two passions of mine that take up far too much of my time, I have to report this story to you.

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Ovechkin will be among the NHL stars participating in a charity poker tournament alongside celebrities, professional card players and winners of the PokerStars.net qualifying tournament, NHL.com reported.

The tournament will be played June 17 at the Rio All Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas during the 2009 NHL awards celebration, at which Ovechkin, the reigning MVP, might also clean up.

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That from NBC 4 in Washington.

Outside of Ovechkin, Robeto Luongo, (Canuks) Mike Richards, (Flyers) Steve Sullivan, (Predators) and Sheldon Souray, (Oilers) a just a few of the NHL players expected to participate. Perhaps more impressively, former players  Pat LaFontaine, Cam Neely, and Luc Robitaille are also slated to appear. 

Las Vegas, Alexander Ovechkin and poker! This one has the makings of a great story, even though on paper it isn't that serious (all players are competing for charity). Still if any player is perfect made for the bright lights and aura of Vegas, it has to be Ovechkin—a guy who openly complains about speed-limits, and whose summer home in Russia comes complete with a disco-ball and a stripper pole.

I mean how could a guy who once said that he always has a full stock of vodka and who once told a reporters that, "I'll prove my manhood on the dance floor," not have a good time in Sin City? This one is ripe for both the Russian and American paparazzi.

For the full story go to Washington Capitals Examiner