Photo: @ChuckGormleyCSN

After Caps practice concluded on Monday morning, Alexander Ovechkin remained in his skates to welcome another Alexander onto the ice. The other Alexander, who turned five years old on Monday, had his birthday wish granted: to skate with the Russian machine at Kettler Capitals Iceplex.

Sportsnet’s Gene Principe captured a precious photo.

What a thrill for this little guy to be on the ice with @Ovi8. pic.twitter.com/QTrJT8ReBS — Gene Principe (@GenePrincipe) January 19, 2015

In the locker room, the media asked Ovechkin if that was his new linemate for Edmonton.

“Yeah,” smiled Ovechkin. “It was just my friend’s son. He asked me to skate with him after practice. It’s always fun.”

At this point, Ovechkin’s skated with so many kids this season, he might as well open a daddy day care at Kettler.