Kazan team proved to be stronger than its Nizhnekamsk rivals

(KZN.RU, October 15, by Renat Shirmanov). The Kazan team beat its rivals from Nizhnekamsk in a friendly match which took place today at the Zilant Ice Palace. The team captains were the mayor of the capital of Tatarstan Ilsur Metshin and Tatarstan’s celebrated hockey player Rafik Yakubov, who is now director of the Neftekhimik hockey club. The match was dedicated to the 45th birthday of the famous player.

For the Kazan team, in addition to Ilsur Metshin, played his son Tagir, Executive Committee Chief of Staff Dennis Kalinkin, mayor’s adviser Ivan Kuznetsov, director of the Volna youth sports school Evgenii Leontiev, Kazan City Duma deputy Ravil Shavaleev, veteran hockey player Renat Kasyanov, Andrei Pisarev, Ravil Fazleev and others.

Rafik Yakubov, Nizhnekamsk Deputy Mayor Nikolay Kozlov, Executive Committee Chief of Staff Robert Garipov, Chief Executive Officer of Neftekhimik hockey club Rinat Sharifyanov, veteran hockey player Airat Garayev, chief engineer of the Nizhnekamsk Region Leonid Evpak and others played for Nizhnekamsk.

In the beginning, the Nizhnekamsk team had an advantage, having scored two goals, Leonid Evpak and Nikolay Kozlov distinguishing themselves. The capital of Tatarstan team rushed ahead and seized the initiative. At the 15th minute, Ravil Shavaleev passed the puck to Ilsur Metshin, who scored a goal. At the beginning of the second period, the Mayor of Kazan, using an assist from his son, equalized the score. After that, one goal followed another, and before the break, the score was 5-3 in favor of the Kazan team.

During the break, there was a raffle for two MP3-players, two mini video cameras, two video recorders, two cameras and two GPS-navigators.

At the start of the third period, Ilsur Metshin paid in kind to his son for an assist in the first period. The Mayor of Kazan assisted Tagir with the sixth goal at the third minute. A few moments later, Evgenii Leontiev scored another goal, but Rafik Yakubov masterfully executed a bullet for rules violation and brought the score to 7- 4. Ilsur Metshin put a finishing touch to the game increasing the score to 8 - 4 in favor of his team. After that, the score remained unchanged. The winners of the friendly match received a cup.

"I want to thank all the participants – both the hockey players and the fans – for their dedication to sports and hockey. Traditions mean a lot in hockey, and we honor them," saying these words Ilsur Metshin passed the cup to Rafik Yakubov, who, playing for the Ak Bars team, became the champion of Russia in 1998, thus starting the victorious tradition of Tatarstan's hockey.

Kazan - Nizhnekamsk score: 8 - 4

Goals: Ilsur Metshin, 14:36, 20:16, 47:15; Renat Kasyanov, 22:46; Azat Vafin, 23:10; Timur Nurgaliyev, 25:43; Tagir Metshin, 42:21; Evgenii Leontiev, 42: 47; Leonid Evpak, 1:08; Nikolay Kozlov, 8:31; Vyacheslav Kasatkin 34:32; Rafik Yakubov, 43:03.