The unemployed superstars of North America's National Hockey League, billed to play for various national teams in the 27th Izvestia Cup hockey tournament, sat in the stands Friday evening as greener players took to the ice at Luzhniki and CSKA stadiums.


Russia and Finland showed few signs of needing imported assistance, with the home side rallying past France, 7-2, and the Finns beating Italy, 2-0, on the opening night of the premier all-European tournament of the year. In Friday's other match-ups, the Czech Republic skated past Norway, 5-0, and Sweden topped Switzerland, 7-3.


Pavel Bure of the Vancouver Canucks and Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres were announced as members of the Russian line-up by Valentin Sych, the president of the Russian Hockey Federation, at a press conference Thursday. Temmu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets and Jari Kurri of the Los Angeles Kings were also due to play for Finland.


Finnish coach Kurt Linstrom explained that it had been his decision to keep Selanne and Kurri off the ice this tournament, as he was saving them for the World Championships to be held in Sweden next spring and wanted to give other players a chance to play in Moscow.


It is less clear why the Russians had decided to bench -- or rather, bleacher -- Bure and Mogilny, sidelined during the NHL's long-running lockout that began Oct. 1. The two stars were part of a Russian All-Star team that played a series of exhibition games in Russia in November.


Tournament press spokesman Vyacheslav Trushkov said the players were unhappy with Russian coach Boris Mikhailov's demand that they live with the other players, as a team, in Novogorsk, 15 miles outside of Moscow. Ostankino television simply broadcast that the two stars were at the stadium on their own.


But that seemed patently not the case. Asked at his seat why he was not suited up with the Russian team, Bure sharply stated, "I forgot my uniform." Mogilny was also curt: "If that's what he said then I say the same thing."


One hockey enthusiast remarked, "the hell with both of them if they don't want to play, two weeks ago they played for Spartak" in a single game in Russia's Interstate Hockey League. Before emigrating to the United States Bure and Mogilny had played for CSKA.


Despite the absence of the country's strongest NHL players, the Russian side did put forth a number of NHL luminaries, including defensemen Dmitri Yushkevich of the Philadelphia Flyers, and Alexander Karpovtsev who started for the Stanley Cup winning New York Rangers as well as forwards Igor Korolev of the St. Louis Blues, Valeri Karpov of the Annaheim Mighty Ducks and Andre Nikolishin of the Hartford Whalers.


Russia quickly recovered from being down 2-1 after Phillipe Lemoine, who had received two game misconduct penalties in the first period, was ejected in the 17th minute of the second period. Lemoine had been penalized again, for a dangerous check against a Russian player, and was thrown out after yelling at the referee in protest.


With this the tide turned against France as goals from Andrei Nikoleshin, and Korolev brought the score to 3-2 to close the second period. The third period was all Russia, which regained its confidence to destroy the French with four unanswered goals in the final period from Andre Tarasenko, Vladimir Vorobjev, Oleg Byelov and Alexei Tkaschuk, to the delight of the crowd of 2,000 at CSKA Ice Palace. Even Viktor Tikhonov, the notoriously stern CSKA Russian Penguins coach, could be seen laughing and enjoying himself.


At Luzhniki, Finland beat Italy, 2-0, off goals from Willy Poltonen in the first and second periods. At CSKA, the Czech Republic blew away Norway 5-0 with goals from Pavel Geferd, Martin Prohazka, Jan Vopat, and Roman Horak, who scored two during the third period. Also at CSKA, Sweden beat Switzerland, 7-3.


On Saturday, Italy plays France at 2:30 P.M., and Russia takes on Finland at 6:30 P.M., both at Luzhniki Sports Palace. In games at CSKA, Sweden faces Norway at 3 P.M. and the Czech Republic plays Switzerland at 7 P.M.


On Sunday at Luzhniki, Finland plays France at 2:30 P.M. and Italy plays Russia at 6:30 P.M. At CSKA, Sweden faces the Czech Republic at 3 P.M. and Switzerland plays Norway in the 7 P.M. game.


Monday is an off day before Tuesday's final.