Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Scores 8 Goals in Celebrity Russian Hockey Match (Video)

Russian President Vladimir Putin takes part in a hockey game in Sochi.

Russian President Vladimir Putin only took up ice skating a few years ago, but that didn't stop the 62-year-old scoring a handful of goals in an all-star hockey match comprising of former hockey stars, businessmen and politicians over the weekend.

Putin scored eight goals at the gala hockey match in Sochi on Saturday — more than any other player — to lead his "Stars of the Night Hockey League (NHL)" team to an 18-6 victory over his opponents "The NHL Team."

The president was joined by a host of former Soviet and Russian stars including Alexander Yakushev, Sergei Makarov and Vyacheslav Fetisov. Billionaire businessmen Gennady Timchenko and brothers Arkady and Boris Rotenberg, close associates of the Russian president, also played in the match.

Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, who scored three goals and made three assists, was awarded the Man of the Match award and won a trip to Crimea as a prize, news outlet RBK reported. Shoigu was also involved in an altercation with an opposition player, the business tycoon Vladimir Potanin, though video footage showed the tussle appeared to have been resolved amicably.

The game was held in honor of the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, which Russia celebrated on May 9; all of the players wore the number 70 on the back of their shirts. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev did not participate in the match, but watched from the stands.

The Night Hockey League, or NHL, was established at Putin's behest in 2011 as a league for players over the age of 40. The Russian president took part in the league's first ever tournament, but later admitted that he had never before skated on ice, RBK reported.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more