Ninteenth century author Charles Caleb Colton once wrote that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Before writing that, the guy must have hopped in his red-painted time machine and traveled to DC to watch Alex Ovechkin and Alex Semin hang out together. Why? Because the Sashas — a sterling example of “brothers from another mother” — have so much in common. Same nationality, same first name, same DVD box set of Gilmore Girls in their living rooms. Same hats, same holey jeans, matching friendship bracelets (one suspects).

So when Ovi recently was presented with his own wax figure at Madame Taussaud’s, Sasha Minor was understandably a little bit jealous. Let’s go to the videotape!

Reporter: What if somebody makes a wax figure of you?
Alex Semin: It’d be super!

Reporter: Where would you want it to be made? In Krasnoyarsk?
Alex Semin: [After several seconds of thought] To be honest, I don’t care!

And that concludes the most forthright interview Alex Semin ever gave. For contrast, Stephen Whyno of the Washington Times and our own Igor Kleyner teamed up today for an interview that yielded this new Sasha classic: “I don’t really pay that much attention to the referees.”

Translation by Fedor Fedin. S/T to the Tumblr Tatianasn.

Photo credit: Kris Connor

Alex Ovechkin, sporting 10 stitches on his forehead after taking an errant puck to the face during Caps practice, traveled into DC this afternoon to celebrate his new wax immortality.

Surrounded by children from the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club, who were all rocking The Great 8′s signature gap-toothed smile, Ovechkin unveiled the figure to a horde of media and a few hundred passersby. To the surprise of no one, the wax figure’s resemblance to the Capitals captain is uncanny.

And rightly so. Ovechkin spent hours over the summer allowing studio artists from Madame Tussauds to take more than 250 precise measurements and photographs, capturing the two-time MVP from every angle. The artists then began work on the figure in early July and finished it just a few weeks ago. Ovi donated his Capitals uniform, pads and equipment– in which the figure is dressed– to ensure its authenticity.

Sure the Capitals are undefeated and sit atop everyone’s power rankings this week, but here’s one more accolade: Ovechkin is the second hockey player to ever be immortalized in wax. The other one was Wayne Gretzy. In your face, Crosby.

Additional Photos

Aww. Ovi poses with kids from the Fort Dupont Ice Hockey Club. (Photo credit: Madame Tussauds’s Facebook page)

Wax Ovi: Accurate to the point where it is almost scary. (Photo credit: Capitals Overtime)

Ovi and his father Mikail pose with the new wax figure. (Photo credit: @christinesimpsn)

Ovi does a double-take after looking at his new replica statue. (Photo credit: Kris Connor)

A close-up of Alex Ovechkin’s wax head before being colored. (Photo credit: Madame Tussauds’s Facebook page)

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