President Vladimir Putin on Monday lauded Russian ice hockey star Alexander Ovechkin for surpassing all the sport's other legends in a dazzling career that the Kremlin chief said was a cause for celebration for fans across Russia and the world.

Alexander Ovechkin is closing in on the record for the most goals scored in the National Hockey League. While his achievement is being applauded by most, for some, his support of Vladimir Putin leaves a sour taste.

Russian engineer Leonid Alexeyev has been waiting for "many years" for his countryman Alexander Ovechkin to make ice hockey history, patiently keeping track of his goals -- until the towering Muscovite finally did it this weekend.