Saturday in Saint Petersberg, Washington Capitals center Evgeny Kuznetsov participated in the seventh annual “From Pure Heart” charity hockey game, which pitted Friends of Team SKA versus Team Kovalchuk.
Kuznetsov, who is close friends with fellow charity game player Pavel Datsyuk, sported a blue SKA number 92 jersey and the symbolism of that is rich. In the KHL, Kuznetsov’s RFA rights are owned by SKA and he nearly signed with the team during the offseason, reportedly turning down a two-year, $20 million deal.
Alex Ovechkin usually plays in the charity game, but his mother in law died earlier in the week.
The From Pure Heart charity game has taken place in different Russian cities over the years. This was the second time it has been played in Saint Petersberg.
More from SKA’s website:
For this game, SKA Friends and Team Kovalchuk competed against each other. Representatives of the city’s first sledge-hockey team Emin Guseynov and Alexei Lysov dropped the puck for the match. SKA’s board was represented by president Gennady Timchenko, vice-president Roman Rotenberg (who scored four goals), general director Andrei Tochitsky and SKA Academy sporting director Ilya Gorbushin. World stars Evgeny Malkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexander Radulov played, as well as some SKA first team players and politcial and show business figures.
It turned out to be a comfortable SKA Friends win, as they beat Team Kovalchuk 11:5!
Ten million rubles were raised for charity during the event, which will fund athletes and children with disabilities.
Kuznetsov did not score during the game, but did tally two assists. He signed autographs and posed for photographs with fans after the game. 7,750 fans attended the event.
Game summary
0:1 Kovalchuk (Malkin), 01.20
1:1 Kamensky (Butman, Kovalenko), 02.56
2:1 Rotenberg (Kasatonov), 06.27
3:1 Rotenberg (Datsyuk, Voynov), 11.47
4:1 Rachuk (Drozdetsky), 13.40
5:1 Pokrovsky (Drozdetsky, Kovalenko), 19.33
6:1 Datsyuk (Kovalenko, Yudin), 23.22
7:1 Rotenberg (Yudin), 26.32
7:2 Kovalchuk (Malkin), 29.40
8:2 Rachuk (Kuznetsov), 31.54
8:3 Epanchintsev (Radulov, Zhamnov), 35.20
9:3 Rotenberg (Timchenko), 37.17
9:4 Kalinin (Kovalchuk), 40.43
10:4 Zubarev (Kuznetsov, Kovalenko), 43.50
11:4 Butman (Gusev, Kamensky), 46.46
11:5 Plutnik (Radulov, Kovalchuk), 47.50
Photos
Check out Rads bodychecking children.
Photos: SKA’s website. Full gallery here.
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#отчистогосердца#хоккей#СКА#питер
