9 DECEMBER The legendary match of world hockey stars on the Red Square |
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On the 9th of December on GUM-Skating rink on the Red Square took place the historic ice-hockey match: friendly duel between the Combined team of USSR stars and Combined team of the World, dedicated to the 60th anniversary of National hockey and to the 50th anniversary of the first victory of the USSR combined team in the Olympic Games (1956, Cortina d’Ampezzo).
The event took place under the auspices of the general sponsor of the Olympic team of Russia-BOSCO Sport, which offers elite goods for sports and rest.
Since 2002 the company BOSCO di Ciliegi creates an image of a Russian Olympians, providing the national team with complete sets of bright and stylish clothes, shoes and accessories.
The ice arena is situated in the very center of Moscow — on the Red Square, along the front side of the Main Department Store of the country, near the walls of the Kremlin, close to the Cathedral of St. Basil the Blessed. Skating rink on the Red Square is a unique project of GUM, a dream of many generations of Russian people, which became a wonderful reality!
Fetisov V.: «It was a tremendous view: star hockey against the background of GUM, in inimitable illumination, close to the walls and towers of the Kremlin».
Together with BOSCO Sport GUM realized another excellent idea — gathered on the Skating rink the sportsmen whose names took their place in the history of world hockey, NHL stars and legendary Soviet hockey players.
Bikov V.: «Still can't completely realize that we played hockey here — on the Red Square, in the center of our homeland. These feelings are unimaginable! When I come to Moscow, I always rush to the Red Square — this place inspires, invigorates».
Larionov's legendary group of five also went on ice as a part of the USSR combined team; this year it was celebrating the 25th anniversary of its formation: guards — Fetisov, Kasatonov, forwards — Makarov, Larionov, Krutov, and the goalkeeper Vladislav Tretyak. The three-times Olympic champion Viktor Tihonov coached the team.
Jari Kurri, Tomas Sandstrцm, Mats Naslund, Paul Coffey, brothers Anton and Peter Shtiasny, James Berard and others became a part of the «star» combined team of NHL. They were guided by the titled NHL coach Scotty Boumen, nine times holder of Stanley Cups.
Before the beginning of the match, while the owner of «golden voice of Russia» Larissa Dolina performed Russian anthem, on the big screen were broadcasting old pictures of the matches, where the great group of five is performing on ice — young guys, pride and glory of their country, full of determination to defend the honor of the homeland!
And when the daughters of the forward of the USSR combined team Igor Larionov — Alena and Dyana were singing the composition Ave Maria, in memory of the first Soviet world champions of 1964 (from which only Igor Shuvalov remained alive), the world hockey stars kneeled.
At 16:00 sharp, to the striking of chimes on the Spassk tower of the Kremlin, the match began. Already on the very first minute Igor Larionov scored the puck.
Larionov I.: «Our „group of five“ was always the first to go on the ice. And in each game we aimed always at one thing: to score the puke immediately, before the change -i.e. during the first 30-40 seconds of the game».
And then there was a «swing»: in response to each our success the opponent scored another goal.
Viacheslav Fetisov, Alexei Kasatonov, Valery Kamenskiy, Alexander Kozhevnikov, Ilya Byakin and Vladimir Krutov scored for the USSR combined team. The gateway of our combined team was defended by Vladimir Myshkin, Sergei Milnikov and Maxim, the grandson of Vladislav Tretyak, which, after he had played for about five minutes, turned out to be the only goalkeeper of the combat who didn't miss no one puke.
During the last minutes the team of Viktor Tihonov was winning with the score 10:9, but two seconds before the end of the combat Paul Coffey, who was declared the best hockey guard of the last century, realized the bullet.
This match became a benefit of the legendary group of five, which confirmed its outstanding and unfading skills. After all, Fetisov, Kasatonov, Makarov, Larionov and Krutov haven't gone on the ice together for 12 years!
Seven of the ten pukes in this match were scored by the «splendid group of five», four of them were scored by Igor Larionov, declared the best kicker of the match. By the way, «the professor» (as Igor is called by his teammates) resigned from professional hockey only a year ago — later than all his partners.
Larionov I.: «We had a wonderful evening, gave pleasure to our fans by a good game, turned back on the ice our style we played for all those years. The mutual understanding didn't disappear. Everything was good — you saw. We scored so many goals! All my partners — Slava Fetisov, and Volodia Krutov, and Alexei Kasatonov, and Sergei Makarov — everybody enjoyed the game and communication. The goals were beautiful, and the match was beautiful».
This unique match ended in a draw with the score 10:10 by the periods — 3:2, 3:4, 4:4. Everybody played with great pleasure, was glad to meet each other and to have the unique opportunity to go on the ice on the Red Square, near GUM and walls of the Kremlin. The «Star» teams played carefully and in a solidary friendly way, without helmets, but with brave enthusiasm in the eyes, with the spirit of fraternal struggle.
2,500 persons watched the combat. And all tickets were sold in three days. The spectators followed with delight the game of those whose names became legend of world sport, supported our team with all their heart, and were proud of their hockey players.
And the residents of Russia will be able to see this legendary match of the world hockey stars on the GUM-Skating rink on the Red Square very soon on the First channel.
Tretyak B.: «I'm sincerely grateful to the organizers and fans, to all the friends who came to this match to share the joy with us. I think it is a unique day. It should go down in history of world hockey, as a festival of the game of great people. Indeed, during the meeting we wanted simply fly on the ice!»
The broadcasting of the hockey match took place on the First channel on the 16th of December at 23.10
