Teams of Tatarstan and Czech hockey veterans crossed sticks in Kazan

(KZN.RU, November 6, Anton Nozdrin). International friendly match between the national teams of Tatarstan and Czech ice hockey veterans was held in Kazan. Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of Tatarstan, and Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of Kazan, took part in the game. Meeting at the ice of the Sports Palace “Спорт сарае” ended with the victory of Tatarstan team with a score of 5:2.

The game has gathered full stands of the Sports Palace, because the legends of Tatarstan hockey came on the ice: Rafik Yakubov, Dmitry Balmin, Alexei Morozov, Sergei Zinoviev and others. The world-known stars opposed to local players: Bedrzhich Serban, Milan Chalupa, numerous winners of national championships, winners of world championships and Olympic Games.

In the first period, the team showed a beautiful, acute attack game. The players had several good opportunities to open the score, but the goalkeepers worked perfectly at the last line: Timur Bilyalov from Tatarstan and Marcel Kucera from Czech Republic. Goalkeepers countered not only a number of dangerous shots from the game, but did not let opponents to score a penalty shootout.

The empty series of goalkeepers was interrupted in the second period: the Czechs opened the score on the 5 minute. However, Rustam Minnikhanov, the captain of Tatarstan's team, after only a minute took advantage from the pass of Alexei Chupin and threw the puck. The teams continued to play in an attacking way, giving the audience a lot of bright emotions from the beautiful combinations and solo passages. However, if Timur Bilyalov managed to keep a clean sheet until the end of the period, the visitors had to capitulate after a throw of Rustam Minnikhanov. Tatarstan caught the opponent on the counterattack and sent a second puck into their gate. Lenar Nasibullin was an assistant of the President of the RT.

Czech players actively went ahead in the final period of the match and were entitled to a free throw already on the 1 minute. Tatarstan goalkeeper was again on top and caught the puck. A few minutes later Alexei Morozov made the fans roar. The favorite of the Kazan audience sent a third goal to the Czech team, taking advantage of the Alexander Zhdan’s pass. Tatarstan scored the fourth goal almost immediately: it was the merit of Dmitry Bezrukov. Ilsur Metshin threatened the Czechs gates several times. Guests were able to equalize the score, having thrown the second puck. The captain Tatarstan’s team set the final result. R. Minnikhanov scored the fifth goal in the last seconds of the game.

The President thanked the opponent after the meeting. R. Minnikhanov noted that despite the score, the game was equal. “I thank the guests from the Czech Republic for a beautiful hockey. The special thanks to the fans for their support”, said the captain. The captain of Czech veterans noted that this is the third meeting between the teams. “This is a tradition. When we come to your beautiful city, we feel ourselves like at our friends”, said B. Serban.

Forward Alexei Morozov said after the match that he was pleased with the game. “The opponent has created a lot of moments, they have an interesting team”, the former captain of the Kazan “Ak Bars” shared his impressions. Also, the forward said that he was pleased to once again go to the ice in Kazan. “This palace is my native: I spent the first season for the “Ak Bars” here. I am glad that I managed to please the fans with my puck”, said Morozov.