Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin pasues during a break in play against the New York Rangers during the second period in game 3 of their NHL Eastern Division playoff game in Washington May 2, 2012.Gary Cameron/Reuters
Alex Ovechkin and Alexander Semin will join Russia at the IIHF World Hockey Championship.
The two members of the Washington Capitals became available after their NHL team was eliminated from the playoffs by the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Russia hasn't suffered without the pair — the team is undefeated through six round robin games and has a three-point lead on Sweden in the Stockholm pool.
Ovechkin and Semin are expected to join the team on Wednesday, one day before the quarter-finals.
It's the eighth tournament appearance for Ovechkin, who won gold with Russia in 2008 as well as silver in 2010 and bronze in 2005 and 2007.
He finished the NHL regular season fifth in goal scoring with 38 goals and 65 points.
Semin, meanwhile, will play in his sixth world championship after finishing the NHL regular season with 21 goals and 33 assists.
He was also on the gold-medal winning team in 2008, took silver in 2010 and bronze in 2005.