BRIEF-Sochi name Ovechkin ambassador of 2014 Winter Games

MOSCOW, July 6 (Reuters) - Washington Capitals left wing Alexander Ovechkin has been chosen as an official ambassador to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Sochi officials said on Monday.

Ovechkin, 23, is widely considered the world's best player after being voted the NHL's Most Valuable Player last month for the second year in a row. He is expected to lead Russia at the 2010 Olympic ice hockey tournament in Vancouver.

He helped Russia to the gold medal at last year's world championship, where they beat arch-rivals Canada in a dramatic final to end a 15-year title drought.

(Reporting by Gennady Fyodorov; editing by Justin Palmer; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)