Rustam Minnikhanov and Ilsur Metshin played hockey "With all my heart"

(KZN.RU, September 1, by Renat Shirmanov) A charity hockey game between the teams of friends of celebrated Russian hockey players -- "The Kovalchuk team” and “The Ovechkin team” -- was played at the Sokolniki Palace of Sports in Moscow. The charity match was arranged by the Spartak hockey club and the Social Responsibility charity fund with the support of the Russian President's Administration.

The team captains were two famous forwards Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Ovechkin. Along with them, renowned athletes, artists and politicians came to the ice. Alexander Ovechkin’s team included as many as five players from Tatarstan. President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and Mayor of Kazan Ilsur Metshin took part in the match along with the hockey players Alexei Morozov, Danis Zaripov and Alexei Chupin,.

The spectacular and high-scoring game ended in an honorable 11:11draw. The Tatarstan five of the Ovechkin team scored three goals: Rustam Minnikhanov scored twice, while Ilsur Metshin had one goal to his credit.

During the break, the participants gave all the funds raised in the charity match to a home for deaf-blind in Sergiev Posad. This year the home received about 15 million rubles in donations.

It may be recalled that the first such match at Sokolniki took place in September last year. The Kovalchuk and Ovechkin teams drew 13:13 at the time. The donations amounted to 13.87 million rubles. All funds went to support children affected by the forest fires.