Alex Ovechkin Jokes Vladimir Putin Wished Him Luck Ahead of Stanley Cup Final

Alex Ovechkin is set to compete in his first-ever Stanley Cup final, but despite some possible nerves, he still has his sense of humor.

Speaking at a press conference Sunday, the Washington Capitals star deadpanned that he had received some well wishes from Russian President Vladimir Putin:

After a brief silence from the audience, Ovechkin clarified that he was joking.

The Russian has stood in support of Putin in the past, but this was apparently just a little humor at the expense of the local media.

Washington is going for its first Stanley Cup title in franchise history against the Vegas Golden Knights, beginning with Game 1 on Monday.