A "Connecting Generations" match took place

On December 10, a "Connecting Generations' exhibition game took place, an event which was organised by the Russian Ice Hockey Federation and Nornickel. A mix of players born after 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000 and 2010 participated in the match, with IIHF president Rene Fasel working as the referee.

This is the second successive year when this match has been played ahead of the Channel One Cup. The main goal of this event is to preserve and strengthen ice hockey traditions in Russia, something which is an important component of popularising the sport in the country. This match represents the continuity of traditions from Soviet to Russian ice hockey.

Before the game started, a master-class was held for young players using techniques of the Red Machine National Development Program. After the session finished, everyone could receive autographs from the national team players and take pictures with them.

Team Red: Stanislav Sergeev, Ildar Mukhometov, Vyacheslav Fetisov, Alexei Kasatonov, Pavel Bure, Valery Kamensky, Alexander Kozhevnikov, Vyacheslav Voynov, Andrei Kovalenko, Vladimir Potanin, Sergei Barbashev, Vladimir E. Tkachyov, Rushan Rafikov, Vadim Shipachyov, Nikita Soshnikov, Kirill Kaprizov.

Team White: Dmitry Yakovlev, Maxim Mikhaylovsky, Vladimir Lutchenko, Ilya Byakin, Igor Larionov, Irek Gimaev, Vladimir A. Tkachyov, Yury Leonov, Mikhail Grigorenko, Alexander Mishukov, Alexei Marchenko, Alexander Golikov, Roman Rotenberg, Nikita Nesterov, Alexander Mogilniy, Igor Ozhiganov, Alexander Barabanov.

Match protocol:

Team Red - Team White - 11:9 (4:2, 1:2, 6:5)

Goals:

1:0 Bure (Fetisov, Potanin), 01.21
2:0 Potanin (Bure, Barbashev), 04.01
3:0 Kamensky (Kovalenko), 08.28
3:1 Mogilniy (Larionov, Grigorenko), 12.28
4:1 Bure (Voynov, Potanin), 15.14
4:2 Larionov (Grigorenko, Nesterov), 19.30
4:3 Larionov (Grigorenko, Nesterov), 21.18
5:3 Barbashev (Rafikov, Kovalenko), 27.40
5:4 Tkachyov (Mogilniy, Rotenberg), 38.08
6:4 Bure (Fetisov, Kaprizov), 40.49
7:4 Kasatonov (Kamensky, Soshnikov), 44.01
7:5 Leonov (Ozhiganov, Byakin), 45.25
7:6 Rotenberg (Leonov), 46.58
8:6 Kovalenko (Kozhevnikov), 48.12
9:6 Potanin (Bure), 52.07
9:7 Rotenberg, 53.07
9:8 Barabanov (Rotenberg, Ozhiganov), 54.40
10:8 Kamensky, 57.32
11:8 Kaprizov (Voynov), 59.14
11:9 Barabanov (Leonov, Rotenberg), 59.21

Goalkeepers: Mukhometov/Sergeev - Mikhaylovsky/Yakovlev

Referees: Anisimov, Karpushin, Fasel.

President of Nornickel, head of the Night Hockey League board of trustees Vladimir Potanin:

- I think that sport is our national treasure. There is never a bad time to make an investment in sport, because it's an investment in the future, a healthy lifestyle and in our youth. They should have positive role models. The strongest player of today's game was the Red Machine team, which is made up of successful players.

First vice-president of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, general manager of the national team Roman Rotenberg:

- The good match today is down to great training and following the example of the older generation which achieved a lot of success. This is what "Connecting Generations" means. Young children only begin playing the sport because of these role models. You saw today how 60 children really enjoying training with senior national team players. Our team is the reigning Olympic champion, and thanks to partners like Nornickel, we are striving to improve our results. Ice hockey is a team sport, and we can only achieve big success together.

World champion, member of Night Hockey League board Pavel Bure:

- On behalf of everyone who participated in this game, I would like to thank Vladimir Potanin and Roman Rotenberg for organising this event. This shows that all athletes are working together.