Alex Ovechkin mourns death of Alex Luey, the young hockey player who inspired him

Alex Luey, a youth hockey player who inspired Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin to score his 20th career hat trick in 2017, has died of cancer at 15.

Alex's father, Scott, announced on Twitter Sunday: "Early this morning our son Alex’s 3-year battle with cancer ended when he passed away in his sleep at the hospital. Alex battled bravely and touched many lives during his life."

The younger Luey had been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and had part of his leg removed in 2016. He went into remission in 2017, but the cancer returned in 2018. He met Ovechkin again last October before a Capitals game in Toronto in which the star scored four points. During Hockey Fights Cancer night in November, Ovechkin held up a sign supporting Luey.

Their bond went public in 2017, when Ovechkin met with Luey before a game in Toronto and appeared with him during his postgame news conference. He had invited the Niagara Falls, Ontario, native to the game after learning Luey was in remission.

After the game, he said he had told Luey that if he scored a goal that night, it would be for him. Instead he scored three.

Ovechkin also had invited Luey and his family to the Capitals' Stanley Cup parade in 2018.

Luey's father said he would post funeral arrangements soon.