Sporting Disciplinary Committee investigated events from the following game:

Vityaz – Torpedo

Game Time: 50:59

The Committee examined the incident which led to Vityaz forward Evgeny Artyukhin receiving a game misconduct penalty under the p. 1.3.2. of the art. 27 of the KHL Disciplinary Regulations. After studying the incident, the Committee supported the decision of the referee and imposed on Artyukhin a two-game ban and a fine.

For the repeated game misconduct penalty in one season Artyukhin banned for two additional games. His suspension is four games.

Game Time: 52:15

The Committee examined the incident and imposed on Vityaz forward Alexei Makeyev a game misconduct penalty under p.1.11. of the art. 27 of the KHL Disciplinary Regulations, a one-game ban and a fine.

For the repeated game misconduct penalty in one game Makeyev banned for one additional game. His suspension is two games.

Admiral Vladivostok 2 Avangard Omsk 5 (1-0, 1-3, 0-2)

Avangard overcame a slow start to deliver a comfortable victory in Vladivostok, while Admiral missed the chance to move into the playoff places in the Eastern Conference.

The home team knew that victory in regulation would see it leapfrog eight-placed Kunlun and made a bright start. Alexei Drobin opened the scoring in the seventh minute, the teenager claiming his second career goal in the KHL.

However, Avangard created more opportunities in the opening frame and duly tied the scores at the start of the second through Valentin Pyanov. Alexei Potapov put the visitor in front but Admiral levelled at the midway stage when Martin Bakos converted a penalty shot awarded after Yegor Martynov was called for hooking.

After that, Avangard responded by pulling away. A power play goal from Sergei Shirokov restored the Hawks’ advantage before the second intermission. Then further goals from Denis Zernov and Brandon McMillan sealed the win in the third period.

KHL.ru starts introducing the All-Star Game teams. Today, the talk is about the Bobrov and the Tarasov Division.

All the KHL teams will send at least one player to the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Weekend in Moscow – the most-represented team is Dynamo Moscow with four players.

Bobrov Division

Goalies

Julius Hudacek (Spartak), Ivan Bocharov (Dynamo Moscow)

At his third All-Star participation, it is expected that Hudacek will invent once again something interesting for the crowd in Moscow as he usually does with his team for the remarkable "Huda-shows." Bocharov, 24, has finally emerged as Dynamo Moscow's starter an is not new to All-Star appearances after taking part twice in JHL clashes. He will substitute SKA's Alexander Samonov, who also picked up an injury.

Defensemen

Juuso Hietanen (Dynamo Moscow), Mikko Lehtonen (Jokerit), Yakov Rylov (Spartak).

On defense, the Western Conference's teams will feature some of the most exceptional blueline talents in the League – this is especially valid for the Bobrov Division. Mikko Lehtonen is having a tremendous debut season in the KHL, and his call is not a surprise. The same can be said for Juuso Hietanen– but what's surprising is that it's only the second All-Star appearance for the veteran Finnish D-Man. Lehtonen and Hietanen led all the KHL defensemen for points. Spartak's Yakov Rylov is at his first All-Star game selection, and this is somewhat surprising considering the career of the 35-years-old veteran.

Forwards

Vadim Shipachyov, Dmitrij Jaskin (both Dynamo Moscow), Lauris Darzins (Dinamo Riga), Yegor Morozov (Severstal), Vladimir Tkachyov (SKA).

The Shipachyov and Jaskin duo is expected to do most of the damage for the Bobrov Division – Dynamo's one-two punch is first and second in scoring with 53 and 50 points, respectively. Shipachyov will also be the Bobrov Division's captain. Lauris Darzins is at his second All-Star Game on a row and the third overall. The Riga veteran is still scoring at a fantastic rate at his 34. Severstal's Yegor Morozov will replace his teammate Daniil Vovchenko– the 25-years-old forward is currently the second goal-scorer of his team with seven. It will be the first participation for Morozov. Vladimir Tkachyov is at is second All-Star Game after representing Salavat Yulaev last year. This time around, he made the roster as a SKA player. In St. Petersburg, Tkachyov is enjoying a fantastic season and is currently the top scorer of his team with 32 (10+22) points.

Coach: Alexei Kudashov (SKA)

Kudashov can boast a feature that differently will be ever repeated: he participated at the KHL All-Star Game as both a coach and a player, and all his three All-Stars were held in Moscow. Under his lead, SKA is currently on the top of the Bobrov Division.

Tarasov Division

Goalies

Andrei Tikhomirov (Torpedo), Ilya Sorokin (CSKA)

CSKA's Ilya Sorokin is at his fifth straight All-Star Game participation. In spite of his young age – he's only 24 – he already has a long list of accolades that include an Olympics Gold Medal, Playoffs MVP trophy, KHL Top Goalie honors, and much more, other than a Gagarin Cup title. Tikhomirov, who was also born in 1995 like Sorokin, is at his debut at the KHL All-Star Game. This year, he outplayed Anders Lindbak and is currently his team's number one goalie as he is following his father's footsteps.

Defensemen

Ilya Shinkevich (Vityaz), Charles Genoway (Torpedo), Mat Robinson (CSKA)

A regular at the KHL All-Star Game, CSKA's Robinson is at his fourth call, and even if his production slowed down a bit, he is still one of the top players in the league in the plus-minus department. Torpedo's Genoway is back to the All-Star event for his third participation as he's having a tremendous season in Nizhny Novgorod. A debutant at this level, Ilya Shinkevich will represent Vityaz with Alex Semin. He will add size, strength, and defensive awareness to the Tarasov Division's lineup.

Forwards

Vyacheslav Gretsky (Dinamo Minsk), Kirill Kaprizov (CSKA), Stephane Da Costa (Lokomotiv), Alexander Semin (Vityaz), Malte Stromwall (HC Sochi).

One of the biggest stories of this year's All-Star weekend will surely be Vyacheslav Gretsky. Dinamo Minsk's #99 shares a lot in common with the Great One, and a Belarussian flashmob allowed him to earn the most preferences in the fans' vote. Kirill Kaprizov is at his fifth straight All-Star call and is currently the top goal-scorer in the League after topping the KHL last year with 30 goals. One of the top talents in the League, Frenchman Stephane Da Costa is at his third All-Star participation. He's doing very well on his new Lokomotiv uniform and is currently the team's top scorer. Vityaz's Alex Semin doesn't need a long introduction. However, oddly enough, the veteran will have his debut at the KHL All-Star Game on Sunday. At his 35, Semin is currently the Vityaz's captain and top scorer. At his debut year in the League, Malte Stromwall is leaving a strong impression. He is now topping all HC Sochi players in scoring and can boast an impressive plus-13 rating when the second-placed in his team – his countrymate Robert Rosen– is plus-1. 

Coach: Igor Nikitin (CSKA)

The youngest coach of the All-Star Game, Nikitin has a long experience in the League and is currently leading CSKA to yet another lead in the Tarasov Division. He will have the responsibility not only to win but also to defend the Tarasov Division's record of 27 goals scored so far.

The day will start in Khabarovsk with clash between Amur and Sibir. At the end of it SKA will host Jokerit trying to get the revenge for 0-6 in Helsinki earlier this year.

CSKA could clinch playoff spot:

- if they beat HC Sochi in any fashion.

12:00 Amur (18-22-7) – Sibir (25-17-5)

About the game

Sibir is coming into this contest on a 4-game winning streak.

Sibir twice defeated Amur this season by 2-1 score and lost once by 0-3.

Milovzorov has points in 4 straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.

Injury list

Amur: Artyom Zhelezkov, Tomas Zohorna, Maxim Kondratyev

Sibir: Oleg Piganovich

Milestone alert

Sibir defenseman Alexander Loginov is hoping to collect his 100th KHL assist (currently at 99).

12:30 Admiral (23-20-3) – Avangard (30-12-6)

About the game

Admiral is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Avangard is coming into this contest on a 3-game winning streak.

Avangard twice defeated Admiral this season by 4-1, 5-2 scores.

Injury list

Admiral: Juho Olkinuora

Avangard: Alexei Bondarev, Alexei Emelin, Alexander Sudnitsin, Maxim Chudinov

14:30 Kunlun Red Star (22-21-7) – Ak Bars (32-10-4)

About the game

Kunlun is coming into this contest on a 3-game losing streak.

Ak Bars is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Ak Bars defeated Kunlun this season by 5-0 score.

Injury list

Kunlun Red Star: David Bondra, Brayden Jaw, Alex Riche

Ak Bars: Artyom Lukoyanov, Andrei Pedan, Viktor Tikhonov

Milestone alert

Ak Bars forward Mikhail Glukhov is set to play his 500th KHL game (currently at 499).

16:30 Barys (28-13-7) – Metallurg (23-18-7)

About the game

Barys is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Metallurg is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Barys twice defeated Metallurg this season by 3-1, 2-1 OT scores and lost once by 1-2.

Injury list

Barys: Iiro Pakarinen, Viktor Svedberg

Milestone alert

Metallurg forward Sergei Mozyakin is hoping to score his 400th KHL goal (currently at 399).

17:00 Avtomobilist (26-14-7) – Salavat Yulaev (23-18-6)

About the game

Both teams are coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Avtomobilist defeated Salavat this season by 2-0 score.

Kovar has 61:49 minutes of shutout hockey.

Injury list

Avtomobilist: Alexander Kucheryavenko

Suspensions

Salavat: Grigory Panin 2/4

19:00 Neftekhimik (20-21-6) – Traktor (19-25-7)

About the game

Neftekhimik is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Traktor is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Neftekhimik twice defeated Traktor this season by 2-1, 6-4 and lost once by 1-2 OT score.

Injury list

Neftekhimik: Zach Mitchell, Andrei Sergeyev, Bulat Shafigullin

Traktor: Sergei Konkov, Yury Sergiyenko, Nikita Shcherbak

Milestone alert

Traktor forward Anton Glinkin is hoping to score his 100th KHL goal (currently at 99).

19:00 Severstal (18-22-9) – Spartak (26-14-8)

About the game

Severstal is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Spartak is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Severstal defeated Spartak this season by 3-2 score and lost 2-3 SO.

Yakimov has points in 4 straight games, going 3-1-4 over that span.

Spartak’s last win in Cherepovets happened on September 22, 2013 by 5-4 OT score.

Daugavins has points in 3 straight games, going 2-2-4 over that span.

Injury list

Severstal: Daniil Vovchenko, Adam Liska

Spartak: Alexander Nikishin, Ilya Zubov, Evgeny Kulik

Milestone alert

Spartak defenseman Ivan Vishnevsky is hoping to collect his 100th KHL assist (currently at 99).

19:00 Torpedo (24-20-4) – Dynamo Moscow (29-13-7)

About the game

Torpedo is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Dynamo is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Dynamo twice defeated Torpedo this season by 3-2, 2-1 SO scores.

Torpedo’s last home win against Dynamo in KHL regular seasons happened on December 26, 2014 by 2-1 SO score.

Injury list

Torpedo: Sergei Goncharuk

Dynamo: Sergei Boikov

Milestone alert

Dynamo forward Vladimir Bryukvin is set to play his 300th KHL game (currently at 299).

Dynamo forward Daniil Apalkov is hoping to collect his 200th KHL point (currently at 199).

19:30 Vityaz (23-17-7) – Dinamo Minsk (11-27-10)

About the game

Vityaz is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

Dinamo is coming into this contest on a 2-game losing streak.

Dinamo twice beat Vityaz this season by 4-3, 3-2 scores and lost once by 0-3.

Injury list

Vityaz: Evgeny Mons

Dinamo: Oleg Yevenko, Sergei Kostitsyn, Stefan Elliott

Suspensions

Vityaz: Artyukhin 1/4, Makeyev 1/2

Milestone alert

Vityaz defenseman Alexander Yevseyenkov is set to play his 500th KHL game (currently at 499).

19:30 SKA (31-12-5) – Jokerit (29-11-7)

About the game

SKA is coming into this contest on a 2-game winning streak.

Jokerit is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

SKA defeated Jokerit this season by 3-2 score and lost 0-6.

Hellberg has 113:22 minutes of shutout hockey

Jensen has points in 11 straight games, going 10-7-17 over that span and can beat season’s record which he tied with Dmitrij Jaskin at 11 games.

Kontiola has points in 3 straight games, going 1-3-4 over that span.

O’Neill has points in 3 straight games, going 0-3-3 over that span.

Injury list

SKA: Alexander Barabanov, Anton Burdasov

Jokerit: Henri Ikonen, Oliver Lauridsen

Suspensions

SKA: Sergei Plotnikov will sit out the last game of his 2-game suspension.

Milestone alert

Jokerit forward Petri Kontiola is hoping to pick his 250th KHL assist (currently at 249).

19:30 CSKA (34-10-4) – HC Sochi (19-21-8)

About the game

CSKA is coming into this contest fresh off a win.

Sochi is coming into this contest fresh off a loss.

CSKA twice defeated Sochi this season by 2-0, 7-1 score.

Sochi won 1 of 20 games against CSKA in KHL. Last time it happened in Moscow on January 4, 2016 by 2-1 score.

Johansson has 127:09 minutes of shutout hockey.

Kaprizov has points in 6 straight games, going 6-4-10 over that span.

Slepyshev has points in 6 straight games, going 4-4-8 over that span.

Injury list

CSKA: Mikhail Grigorenko, Andrei Svetlakov, Ivan Telegin

Sochi: Vladislav Kaletnik, Malte Stromwall, Artyom Tomilin, Dmitry Shikin, Nikita Shchitov

HC Sochi forward Sergei Shmelyov replaced his teammate Malte Stromwall who got an injury.

Popular TV Analysts will assist head coaches at the Skill Show and FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game: Dmitry Fedorov, Denis Kazansky, Oleg Mosalyov, and Leonid Weisfeld.

Bobrov Division

Alexei Kudashov - Dmitry Fedorov

Made his TV debut in 1994, together with Vasily Utkin, he was behind the most popular sports show “Football Club” on NTV, then he switched to hockey. He worked as a journalist, then as a commentator and presenter of his own programs. After the creation of the KHL TV channel, Fedorov worked as its creative producer. Currently, he is a commentator on Match TV. He will make his debut as a coach at the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Game.

– What’s happening now is a fairy tale. A few days ago, I coached the TV and show-business All-Star team who faced the WHL Stars on the Red Square. After the Priceless Game, I got to know that the KHL was interested in having me as one of the assistants for the All-Star Game. Next spring, I’m planning to attend training to become a coach – I’m gathering experience already. I need to study, ask questions and improve. It will be a great achievement for me. I’m grateful to the League, and I thank the Bobrov Division’s team for accepting me as a part of the family.

Tarasov Division

Igor Nikitin - Leonid Weisfeld

In the past, Leonid Weisfeld was a well-known hockey referee. He officiated matches of the USSR, CIS, and Russia championships. Three times he was awarded the Honorary Prize Golden Whistle named after Andrei Starovoitov as the best referee in Russia. Afterward, he successfully proved himself as a functionary, working in several clubs as a general director and general manager. At the end of the 2000s, Weisfeld made his debut as an analyst on the Russia 2 TV channel. He quickly gained a reputation as one of the most experienced and respected hockey commentators. He continues to work currently as a hockey expert on Match TV and KHL TV, and also participates as an expert in several sports media outlets. The 2020 FONBET KHL All-Star Game will be his first experience as a coach.

– Well, in the end, I do have some experience as a coach: I coached the team that won the USSR Universiade and the students’ championship. Moreover, once Petr Vorobiev had flu, and I helped the other Lada Togliatti’s coaches on the bench. If we’re talking about the theory, then I’m qualified as well as I served as a teacher for hockey coaches’ education programs. Moreover, I worked for three years in the Krylya Sovetov academy. I’m now trying to turn my skills into a real coaching job. But of course, we shouldn’t forget that our head coach is the Gagarin Cup reigning champion, Igor Nikitin. We’ll make up something to play the correct way and to have fun. This is what the All-Star Games are about.

Kharlamov Division

Dmitry Kvartalnov - Denis Kazansky

For Denis Kazansky, the 2020 FONBET KHL All-Star Game will be second in his career as a coach. In 2017 in Ufa, he was Dmitry Kvartalnov’s assistant for the Tarasov Division team. Kazansky began working in sports journalism in his native Lipetsk. In 2006, he entered the headquarters of the NTV Plus channel, and since then, he worked at many major sports events, including the Olympic Games, IIHF World Championships, and FIFA World Cup.

– Shock and awe. If I need to describe my feelings in two words. Three years ago, the League called me with Sergei Gimayev, Guskov, and Badyukov – I almost fainted. I didn’t think that it was something I could do again. I’m proud and happy with the call. I’m sure that, as a veteran, I can help our team and that we will win.

Chernyshev Division

Bob Hartley - Oleg Mosalyov

Oleg Mosalyov will make his debut as a coach at the 2020 FONBET KHL All-Star Game. He graduated from the Shchukin Theater School and is a theater and movie actor. He came to sports journalism from the KHL’s establishment, where he became a commentator. During the 2019/2020 season, Bob Hartley said he would like to meet Mosalyov, whom he nicknamed “Mr. Oh-Oh-Oh.” Oleg Mosalyov was twice named as the best commentator of KHL TV and was the recipient of the TEFI Award in 2011 as the author and anchor of kid’s TV show “Behind Seven Seals.”

– First of all, I want to thank the League and all the participants for the call! It was a pleasant surprise for me. I’ll try to bring the zest of artistry and beauty to our team. I’m sure that our tandem with Bob Hartley will help the team winning and the Eastern Conference to dominate on all fronts!

The Russian Hockey Hall of Fame faces CSKA Arena—an apt location, given the number of Red Army heroes who grace its walls. Inductees’ portraits are etched in glass and backlit for maximum drama; bas-relief hockey players flank the ceilings in a style similar to the opulent Moscow metro stations. Tretiak, Tarasov, Fetisov, Zubov…decades of stickhandling genius, masterful goaltending and strategic brilliance gaze down upon you in a cerulean twilight.

While the portraits and names were familiar, it was not the etched glass panels that struck me. Instead, I was fascinated with the spaces between them. The empty squares between Olympic champions and prolific coaches are filled with such delicious possibility. They wait for another generation to write themselves into history, someday to be inscribed upon these walls between national heroes and global icons.

In a sense, this was the perfect place to wait for Kirill Kaprizov. An Olympic and Gagarin Cup champion at the age of 22, the hotly-anticipated Minnesota Wild draft pick has already earned accolades equal to some members of the Hall of Fame. Kaprizov recently celebrated his 100th regular season goal in the KHL, and leads the league in goals-scored ahead of players well his senior.

A native of Novokuznetsk, a city in southwestern Siberia, Kaprizov shares regional heritage with the likes of Dmitry Orlov and Sergei Bobrovsky. While this industrial hub sandwiched between Kazakhstan and Mongolia has produced a slew of hockey stars, Kaprizov has the capacity—and indeed, the public expectation—to one day match or outshine his predecessors. The beauty of it all, much like those unetched panels of glass in the Hall of Fame, is that we cannot fathom how the adventure will conclude. I visited Kirill after CSKA practice in Moscow to learn more about how it began.

Gillian Kemmerer (GK): Do you remember the first time that you laced up your skates?

Kirill Kaprizov (KK): Back in the village, my dad took my brother and me to a rink. My dad gave me a pair of skates and a skating suit to wear. My brother is older than me; I was 4 years old at the time. I put the skates on and went to practice. My brother skated for about five days, maybe a week, and then switched to soccer. At first, I was just skating along the boards…but it didn’t take me long to start playing hockey. That arena was in the suburbs of Novokuznetsk, about twenty minutes away from the city. Later on, my father’s friend Sergei Isakov gave me another pair of skates when I really got into hockey. He played for Khabarovsk and Novokuznetsk.

GK: When did you first realize, “Hey—I’m pretty good at this. I can make a career out of hockey.”

KK: There was never a defining moment. When you’re a kid, you just skate around and have fun. I think I first began realizing it when I matured a bit and was about to start in the Junior Hockey League. That’s when I knew that I was going somewhere. The level of hockey was getting higher—merely skating around wasn’t cutting it anymore. So I would say it hit me when I was about to graduate from hockey school. I was fifteen or sixteen at the time. 

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Публикация от Kirill Kaprizov (@kirillkaprizov)18 Окт 2015 в 12:39 PDT

GK: Who did you idolize growing up?

KK: I wouldn’t say there was one [person]. When I was a kid, I followed just about anybody. There wasn’t one specific player that I liked. I mean, I have always enjoyed how Evgeny Kuznetsov and Vladimir Tarasenko played. I watched them at the World Juniors, and I saw Tarasenko play in the JHL (Junior Hockey League). I followed players across the pond as well. [Sidney] Crosby, [Ilya] Kovalchuk, [Pavel] Datsyuk—all of them. But I never focused on just one player because it was fun to watch them all. 

Team Russia at the 2011 World Juniors was big for me though. I had to go to hockey school in the morning, but I watched them late at night. I even missed my first class because of it. When Tarasenko signed with the St. Louis Blues, I followed him on [social media] to never miss the news.

GK: You scored the game-winning goal to clinch Olympic gold in 2018. Last year, I spoke with Alexei Kovalev who won on Tikhonov’s “Unified Team” in 1992. As the USSR had collapsed weeks before, the Soviet players competed under a neutral flag and anthem…a similar experience to your own as the “Olympic Athletes from Russia.” Did that layer of drama impact your experience at all?

KK: Team management made our life easy there. We had everything we needed and truly felt at home. We had a great atmosphere. We didn’t pay much attention to the fact that we played under a neutral flag or whatever. Everything was great in the locker room and the fans supported us from the stands. It felt like we played for Team Russia. It was an awesome experience, playing for that team. I have only positive memories from the Olympics.

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Публикация от Kirill Kaprizov (@kirillkaprizov)25 Фев 2018 в 12:55 PST

GK: So many NHL and KHL starters come from Novokuznetsk. What are they feeding you out there? 

KK: It’s great. Unfortunately, the team [Metallurg Novokuznetsk] is not in the KHL anymore, so the boys have less of a chance to show what they’re capable of. Back in the day, there was a kid in every graduating class who would sign with the top teams and make his way to Team Russia. There was almost always a kid from Novokuznetsk playing for Team Russia at the World Juniors.

GK: There must have been some amazing coaches in your system. Is there anyone that you remember in particular? 

KK: Novokuznetsk has a great hockey school. The thing is though, they would call you up to the pros early and you would get a chance to play in the KHL. If you play well enough in the JHL, there was a great chance they would try you out in the KHL. You would get your chance a lot sooner than on some top teams in the league. The budget just wasn’t as great, so they had to rely on their junior school alumni. Kids had a chance. If you were good enough, you were on the team.

GK: The legendary Sergei Fedorov is on the board of CSKA. Does he ever give you any pointers?

KK: He’s at the rink everyday—we talk everyday. Obviously, he spends more time with centers. He gives them a lot of advice. But I can walk up to him just as well and ask a few questions.

GK: I saw on Instagram that you’re the godfather of [CSKA defenseman] Nikita Nesterov’s child. What are your new responsibilities?

KK: I was really pleased when he offered me to be godfather—I didn’t expect it at all! It just so happened that we got to know each other when we joined CSKA. We hang out almost everyday. This past summer, I came to visit him at his place and he was having a christening. It’s great. I mean, Sergei Andronov’s wife is Kirill’s—Nikita’s son’s— godmother. As for the responsibility, you feel it. You have to spend time and talk, bring presents to birthdays and things like that. It’s just something that you have to take care of.

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Публикация от Kirill Kaprizov (@kirillkaprizov)25 Июн 2019 в 6:38 PDT

GK: Did they name their kid after you on top of it?

KK: [Laughs] No. Nikita told me that he liked two names, and chose Kirill in the end.

GK: You played alongside Ryan Stoa and Linus Omark – some wonderful mentors from outside of Russia. Tell me a little bit about your relationship.

KK: I was in my first KHL season and German Titov was our coach. I think that Ryan joined the team because of him. [Titov] must have scouted him in the AHL or somewhere else. I spoke no English at all and never studied it in school, but I liked playing hockey with [Stoa] and I think it was fun for him as well. I was still just a kid back then, and had a lot to learn. I didn’t play much in my rookie season, but when I played with him, I was having a lot of fun—even at practice. We started hanging out after a while.

What I liked the most was that I didn’t speak a word of English, but he would invite me to go to dinner with him. He didn’t speak Russian, so we would sit there and he would start talking…I mean, back in school, I would come to my English class and I would think, “Why do I need to learn it?” But Ryan got me interested. I learned a few words from him and then I would hear them in my class and feel better. He would say something else to me I wouldn’t get, but then I would whip out my phone and look it up. He’d tell me to put it away and tried to make me understand what he was saying with his hands.

He really helped me out in a lot of different ways. We spent a lot of time back in Novokuznetsk, especially at the rink—we were always together there. We still keep in touch. I think I last spoke to him about a month ago.

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Публикация от Kirill Kaprizov (@kirillkaprizov)21 Авг 2016 в 1:39 PDT

GK: This might sound like a silly observation, but you have a trademark smile on TV and on the ice. It’s obvious you love playing…

KK: [Interrupting] Come on, we’re in hockey!

GK: Okay…but Vitali Kravtsov, for example, has said that he was not allowed to smile. His coach Igor Znarok used to tell him that hockey was very serious. Has any old-school coach ever tried to stop you?

KK: No one ever told me that. I worked with the other Znarok [Oleg]. He’s fine with joking around, but there’s a time and a place for everything.

GK: Your season stats speak for themselves, but what are you still hoping to improve?

KK: I need to improve at everything, to be honest. There’s still a lot I need to get better at—shooting, for instance. Sometimes I have a good chance, but I take a poor shot. I need to work on all of my skills, even skating. You can’t be perfect, but you need to keep improving.

GK: You were just named captain of your division’s All- Star Team. What does that mean to you?

KK: [Laughs] When I walk into the locker room now everyone taunts me: “Make way for the captain!”

GK: I’m not supposed to ask you this, but I must! Are you excited about opportunities that wait for you in America?

KK: I mean, what can I say? The [KHL] season is still on. I have to do my best here, but I do have a great desire to move over. I have to focus on the ongoing season. It’s the end of the regular season—I need to get ready for the playoffs and do well so that we win our second cup in a row. There’s still a lot to be done before I have to worry about it—such as making the World Championship team. There’s still time. I’ll think about it later.

GK: Do you have any superstitions? Most players have a few.

KK: I have a few of my own, and there’s a certain routine that I try to stick to. Sometimes I change it around—although I don’t want to share!

GK: Lastly—what’s your road trip entertainment strategy?

KK: On the plane, I usually start watching a movie or put the music on and just fall asleep right away.

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Публикация от Kirill Kaprizov (@kirillkaprizov)2 Июл 2018 в 8:06 PDT

KHL.ru continues introducing the All-Star Game teams. Today, the talk is about the Kharlamov and the Chernyshev Division.

All the KHL teams will send at least one player to the FONBET 2020 KHL All-Star Weekend in Moscow – the most-represented team in the Eastern Conference is Salavat Yulaev with three players.

Kharlamov Division

Goalies

Timur Bilyalov (Ak Bars), Jakub Kovar (Avtomobilist).

After a strong season in Riga, Bilyalov is back in Kazan, where is having a solid 2019-20 campaign sharing starts with Swedish goalie Adam Reideborn. The 24-years-old goalie is now leading the League in shutouts and goals-against average, and trails only SKA's Alexander Samonov in the saves percentage rankings. With his strong play, he earned his first call to the KHL All-Stars. Jakub Kovar is one of the most consistent players in the KHL and is at his third call to the All-Star event.

Defensemen

Jyrki Jokipakka (Sibir), Kristian Khenkel (Ak Bars), Nick Bailen (Traktor).

In his third season in the KHL, Jokipakka gained a reputation as a solid stay-at-home defenseman. His strong play in the defensive zone made him a great candidate for an All-Star call, and he will have his debut at the event next Sunday in Moscow. Ak Bars' Kristian Khenkel is at his second straight All-Star Game. Moving from Minsk to Tatarstan, his production and time on ice decreased a little, but his mobility and reliability did not. One of the top offensive defensemen in the League, Bailen is one of the few glimpses of excellence in the current Traktor's season – and one of the few players with a positive rating in a team with a losing record.

Forwards

Nigel Dawes (Avtomobilist), Dennis Rasmussen (Metallurg), Danis Zaripov (Ak Bars), Pavel Poryadin (Neftekhimik), Lukas Sedlak (Traktor).

For the first time ever, the KHL All-Star Game will have to do without Sergei Mozyakin. His teammate Dennis Rasmussen will replace him in the Kharlamov Division lineup. It will be the first participation for Rasmussen, who is in his second year in the League, both played in Magnitogorsk. It will be the first All-Star call also for Pavel Poryadin and Lukas Sedlak. Poryadin, 23, is one of the fastest skaters in the League and is having a career season in Nizhnekamsk, having scored 11 goals so far. Sedlak will substitute another highly-awaited player, Pavel Datsyuk. The Czech forward is his team's top scorer and the forward with the most time on ice. 

Dawes will skate at his sixth straight All-Star Game, and his presence is now a tradition for the crowd. The veteran forward is currently the second scorer for Avtomobilist, trailing only Brooks Macek. Another player whose participation is a tradition is Danis Zaripov. His hardware collection is impressive, and on Sunday, he will skate at his eighth All-Star Game.

Coach: Dmitry Kvartalnov (Ak Bars)

Under his guide, Ak Bars is among the hottest teams in the League and will be one of the most dangerous sides in the playoffs. Kvartalnov is at his fifth All-Star Game, tying Spartak's Oleg Znarok for participations.

Chernyshev Division

Goalies

Juha Metsola (Salavat Yulaev), Igor Bobkov (Avangard).

Both goalies already represented the Chernyshev Division last year, and it's not a surprise to have them both back between the piping for this year's event, considering their consistent performances for their teams. The similarities aren't over yet – both Metsola and Bobkov will be at their third call at the KHL All-Star Game.

Defensemen

Vyacheslav Voynov (Avangard), Darren Dietz (Barys), Adam Almqvist (Admiral).

One of the top D-Men in the League, Voynov is at his second All-Star Game and is having a career year for Avangard. On his prime, Voynov is one of the players with the most distance run in the KHL regular season so far, and is also a fantastic scorer, being now the second in the defensemen rankings for points, and fourth for goals. Barys' captain Darren Dietz will also wear the C for the Chernyshev Division in his second straight All-Star Game. Last year's Best Defenseman is having a strong showing in Nur-Sultan so far, and his presence in the event will add a further exciting note thanks to his offensive abilities. Admiral's Adam Almqvist is at his first call at the KHL All-Stars, but this is not his first stint in the League – he already played 21 games with Severstal in the 2014-15 campaign. However, this time he is playing much better, and with 25 points, he is the top-scoring defenseman for his team, who is fighting hard to reach the playoffs after a two-year hiatus.

Forwards

Kirill Semyonov (Avangard), Nikita Soshnikov (Salavat Yulaev), Brandon Yip (Kunlun Red Star), Hynek Zohorna (Amur), Linus Omark (Salavat Yulaev).

There are little doubts – the Soshnikov and Omark duo is one of the best in the entire KHL, and they are ready to show that also at this event. Omark is currently the fourth scorer in the League, while Soshnikov is in fifth place for goals. Hynek Zohorna joined his older brother Tomas in Khabarovsk this summer, and in his debut season, he earned his first All-Star call. Kirill Semyonov made huge strides forward playing under Bob Hartley, and it's not a surprise to see him earning his first All-Star participation this year. Another debutant for the event is Brandon Yip. The Kunlun Red Star's captain will be the first player to represent China at the KHL All-Star Game. The veteran forward is having a strong 19-20 campaign with Kunlun, helping the Chinese franchise to be in the playoffs zone.

Coach: Bob Hartley (Avangard)

Hartley is in his second year on the Avangard's bench and his second straight All-Star Game. Last year, he reached the Gagarin Cup finals. Will he repeat the feat this year, maybe changing the outcome?

Icecast is the official podcast of the KHL.

The presenter is renowned hockey journalist Igor Yeronko of Sport Express. His guest for the twelveth show was Dynamo Moscow player Teemu Pulkkinen. You can listen to Icecast via Soundcloud.

00:56-03:02 Guys are back from the World Juniors

03:03-04:31 SKA famous loss and a battle for the division title

04:32-05:29 KHL president isn’t happy with teams playing in Spengler Cup

05:30-06:39 KHL 2020 All Star game roster additions

06:40-09:01 KHL trade deadline biggest moves

09:02-34:30 Teemu Pulkkinen on his move to Moscow Dynamo

The defending champion, CSKA, became the first team this season to guarantee itself a place in the 2020 playoff. An emphatic 6-1 victory over HC Sochi opened a 28-point between first and ninth in the Western Conference; Sochi has just 13 games – potentially 26 more points – available before the end of the season. In the East, meanwhile, the race to the top couldn’t be tighter. Ak Bars and Avangard are tied on 68 points after today’s action in the Far East. Avangard won at Admiral before Ak Bars suffered a surprise loss at Kunlun. There were goals aplenty in Nizhny Novgorod, where Torpedo beat Dynamo 6-4, and a big fightback in Nizhnekamsk as Traktor rallied from 0-3 to win a shoot-out. Losses for Metallurg and Salavat Yulaev, meanwhile, mean that two former Gagarin Cup winners are still in danger of missing out in this year’s playoff as the Eastern Conference remains as tight as ever.

Fifth straight win for Sibir

Amur Khabarovsk 1 Sibir Novosibirsk 2 SO (0-1, 1-0, 0-0, 0-0, 0-1)

Sibir made it five wins in a row as Nikolai Zavarukhin’s team hits a rich vein of form at just the right time in the race for a playoff spot. Earlier this week, Sibir enjoyed back-to-back wins in Beijing and today it went into the mini-pause for the All-Star Game with a second successive shoot-out success, this time in Khabarovsk.

The visitor made a lively start to the game and got its reward midway through the opening period when Danil Romantsev opened the scoring on the power play. However, Amur raised its game in the second and tied it up thanks to Kirill Rasskazov. That earned the home team a point that briefly lifted it back in front of Traktor at the foot of the table, but the shoot-out saw Mikael Ruohomaa give Sibir the verdict.

Avangard catches the leader

Admiral Vladivostok 1 Avangard Omsk 3 (0-2, 1-0, 0-1)

Avangard picked up its second victory in 24 hours at Admiral to draw level with Ak Bars at the top of the Eastern Conference table. Bob Hartley’s team made it four wins in a row – and seven from the last eight – as the Hawks look to wrap up the regular season in soaring form.

In Thursday’s game, Avangard fell behind in the first period. Lessons learned, the visitor jumped to a 2-0 lead this time out. Alexei Potapov opened the scoring, making it two goals from two days in Vladivostok, before Kirill Semyonov doubled the lead.

Admiral, looking for a win that could lift it into the playoff zone, pulled one back midway through the game when Martin Bakos scored on the power play. Bakos, too, was on target in yesterday’s game. However, there was no way back for the home team and Sergei Shumakov settled the outcome with another power play goal early in the third.

30 seconds sinks Kazan

Kunlun Red Star 3 Ak Bars Kazan 1 (0-1, 2-0, 1-0)

Two goals in 30 seconds late in the second period turned this game upside down and gave Red Star a vital victory in its push for a playoff place. The home team bounced back from two losses against Sibir last week thanks to a big goaltending performance from Jeremy Smith as Ak Bars once again struggled to turn shots into goals.

The visitor fired in 44 attempts at Smith, but only found the target once. The goal came after seven minutes, with Mikhail Glukhov shooting home on a 5-on-3 power play. Otherwise, the Dragons’ goalie frustrated the visiting offense. Among the stand-out moments for the American were his stoning of Dmitry Voronkov early in the second and a smart stop to spare Trevor Murphy’s blushes after the defenseman redirected a Stepan Sannikov feed towards his own net.

Murphy would have a scoring impact at the other end, though. He joined the rush to shoot home a Tyler Wong feed for the game-winner, just 30 seconds after Adam Cracknell tied the game on 35:38. In the third period, Ak Bars poured forward in search of a tying goal but found no way past Smith. Red Star managed just two shots at Timur Bilyalov’s net, the second of them coming with the last play of the game as Gilbert Brule fired into the now empty target to seal the win and give the Chinese club a four-point cushion over ninth-placed Admiral.

Barys holds on to defeat Metallurg again

Barys Nur-sultan 4 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 3 (0-0, 2-1, 2-2)

Barys defeated Metallurg for the third time this season, keeping in touch with the Eastern Conference leaders while its visitor continues to battle for a place in the top eight. Magnitka’s cause was hampered by the absence of captain Sergei Mozyakin due to illness. He will also miss the weekend’s All-Star action in Moscow after 11 consecutive appearances in the showcase event.

The first period was cautious, but that all changed after the intermission. Linus Videll opened the scoring when he completed a counterattack alongside Roman Starchenko and five minutes later Darren Dietz doubled the lead in emphatic fashion. Metallurg got one back late in the frame thanks to Andrej Nestrasil.

At the start of the third an uncharacteristic error from visiting goalie Vasily Koshechkin gifted Barys a third goal. Koshechkin lost sight of a Corban Knight shot and ended up ushering the puck into his own net. But even Starchenko added a fourth, Metallurg refused to give up. The visitor dragged it back to a one-goal game thanks to a second goal from Nestrasil and a Viktor Antipin strike three minutes from the end. But the visitor ran out of time before it could complete the recovery.

Golyshev’s solo effort beats Salavat

Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 4 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 (0-0, 2-0, 2-2)

After crashing out of last year’s playoff against Salavat Yulaev, this fixture has added spice for Avtomobilist. When the teams met in December in Ufa, the Motormen revelled in a 2-0 victory; today there was ample determination to inflict another loss on Nikolai Tsulygin’s team.

After a sluggish first period, Denis Bodrov warmed things up at the start of the second with the opening goal. That forced Ufa to step up its effort on offense, but the visitor’s push had the opposite result from the one intended. The productive partnership between Georgy Belousov and Pavel Datsyuk delivered once again, with the Magic Man making it 2-0 midway through the game. At the other end, Avtomobilist displayed some impressively composed defense as waves of Ufa attacks crashed harmlessly in front of Jakub Kovar’s net.

However, the beginning of the third saw Salavat Yulaev come roaring back into the game. Pyotr Khokhryakov pulled a goal back and it wasn’t long before the visitor had a 5-on-3 power play. Avto dug deep, killed the penalty and went back on the attack once back at full strength … only to see another play head to the box. This time, Nikita Soshnikov converted the power play and the scores were level.

Anatoly Golyshev settled the outcome in the home team’s favor when he conjured a goal out of nothing with five minutes left. There seemed to be little on when he got the puck on his own blue line and tried to shrug off an opponent. However, persistence saw him drag play down the ice into a shooting position, from where he beat Juha Metsola to restore the home lead. Artyom Gareyev finished it off with an empty net goal.

Daugavins delivers OT winner

Severstal Cherepovets 1 Spartak Moscow 2 OT (0-0, 0-1, 1-0, 0-1)

Severstal could not add to its two-game winning streak, but its point from this overtime loss moved it level with HC Sochi for a share of ninth in the Western Conference. Spartak remains in fifth.

After a goalless opening session, the visitor moved ahead midway through the second thanks to a Robin Hanzl goal. He was assisted by two Latvian forwards, Martins Karsums and Kaspars Daugavins. However, Spartak’s goal was against the run of play; Hanzl’s effort was one of just four that the Red-and-Whites put on Dmitry Shugayev’s net in the middle frame.

Severstal continued to press and got its reward in the 53^rd minute when Yegor Yakovlev tied the scores. However, there would be no winner in regulation and at the start of the extras Hanzl turned provider as Daugavins scored the winner.

Torpedo wins a thriller against Dynamo

Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 6 Dynamo Moscow 4 (2-1, 2-2, 2-1)

Two goals apiece from Ty Rattie and Stanislav Bocharov gave Torpedo the verdict in a roller-coaster of a game against Dynamo. The win sees the home team strengthen its position in the playoff race, opening an eight-point gap over Sochi and Severstal just outside the top eight.

But Torpedo had to recover from a dreadful start. Dynamo was in front after 23 seconds thanks to the KHL’s leading scorer, Vadim Shipachyov. However, the home team did not buckle and was back on level terms in the 14^th minute when Bocharov got his first of the game. A power play soon followed, and Rattie made it 2-1 to the host.

The goals kept coming in the middle stanza. Dmitrij Jaskin tied the scores, only for Artyom Alyayev to restore Torpedo’s lead within 90 seconds. Ilya Kruglov hauled the visitor level once again, but Bocharov’s second of the night saw his namesake Ivan withdrawn from the Dynamo net in favor of the vastly experienced Alexander Yeryomenko.

Dynamo levelled again early in the third thanks to Ivan Igumnov, but when Rattie’s second made it 5-4, the game was finally done. A late rally by the visitor was to no avail; Drew Shore completed the scoring into the empty net.

Traktor enjoys comeback victory

Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 3 Traktor Chelyabinsk 4 SO (1-0, 2-0, 0-3, 0-0, 0-1)

Traktor battled back from 0-3 down to take this one to a shoot-out before Christian Thomas finished the job to give his team an unlikely victory. The success gives Traktor a bit of breathing space in front of Amur at the foot of the Eastern Conference.

It all started so well for Neftekhimik, with Ryan Murphy opening the scoring in the third minute, 11 seconds after the first penalty of the game. But the home team did not have it all its own way in the first period, having to kill almost a full two minutes of 3-on-5 play.

In the second, Jonas Enlund scored twice against one of his former clubs to put Neftekhimik in control. However, few saw what was coming in the third. Tomas Hyka gave Traktor hope with a 49^th-minute goal, then belief when he struck again with four minutes left to play. Alexander Avtsin completed the great escape as Traktor’s dominance in the third was richly rewarded, and the game went to overtime.

Vityaz has too much for Minsk

Vityaz Moscow Region 5 Dinamo Minsk 1 (2-0, 2-0, 1-1)

Vityaz picked up another victory as it looks to tighten its grip on a playoff place, while Dinamo remains rooted to the foot of the Western Conference after another heavy loss.

Photo: 16.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. Vityaz (Moscow Region) - Dinamo (Minsk)

The home team has alternated wins and losses since Jan. 5 and continued that pattern here. First period goals from Pavel Varfolomeyev and Ivan Larichev put Vityaz in control, even though the Belarusians had twice as many shots and spent more time on the attack.

In the second period, Ville Lajunen extended the lead on the power play, a further goal was disallowed, and Pavel Chernov added a fourth just before the intermission. Danila Moiseyev made it five midway through the final stanza before Vyacheslav Gretsky, this year’s most unlikely All-Star, got his second assist of the season on Minsk’s consolation goal. The scorer, too, has a better-known namesake; Dinamo’s goal went to Evgeny Dadonov, the 27-year-old’s first in the KHL since 2014/15.

SKA stops Jensen’s streak

SKA St. Petersburg 4 Jokerit Helsinki 1 (0-0, 3-0, 1-1)

A strong second-period performance from SKA was enough to steer the Army Men towards victory in this Battle of the Baltic. Jokerit’s impressive recent form deserted the team in Petersburg and even Niklas Jensen saw his productive streak dry up after producing 17 (10+7) points in 11 games.

The first period was goalless, despite SKA’s dominance of the play. But the middle session saw the home team get its reward. Vasily Tokranov opened the scoring in the 24^th minute, firing to the far corner from the left-hand circle. Two minutes later, Vladimir Tkachyov made it 2-0, squeezing the puck home from a tight angle. Then the same player took an Igor Ozhiganov pass into the zone, beat his defenseman and went through to score on Janis Kalnins.

There was some hope for Jokerit when Petri Kontiola pulled a goal back early in the third period. But time was always against the visitor and SKA had little difficulty seeing out the win. A late goal from Evgeny Ketov merely underlined the point.

Comfortable win for CSKA

CSKA Moscow 6 HC Sochi 1 (1-0, 0-0, 5-1)

CSKA went goal crazy in the third period to hand Sochi a heavy defeat and push the Black Sea club further away from the playoff places.

Photo: 16.01.20. KHL Championship 2019-2020. CSKA (Moscow) - HC Sochi (Sochi)

Much of this game was quite tight, at least on the scoreboard. Sergei Tolchinsky gave CSKA an early lead, but the home team struggled to turn its control of the game into more goals. That all changed in the third period. First, Anton Slepyshev made it 2-0 in the 41^st minute, effectively ending any questions about the eventual winner.

Then came a flurry of scoring around the midway point of the final frame. Konstantin Okulov added a third, a clutch of penalties disrupted proceedings and CSKA added two goals in a minute as Slepyshev and Nikita Nesterov found the target. Okulov got his second of the night to make it 6-0, but Andrei Altybarmakyan left a small blemish on the home team’s evening when he scored late on to rob Lars Johansson of a shut-out.

It’s time to have some fun. While the KHL’s teams jockey for position in the race to secure a playoff place, this weekend is all about playing the game for the sheer enjoyment of it. It’s All-Star time once again, with the 2020 FONBET All-Star Week coming to its conclusion in Moscow. Saturday sees the Skill Show, a chance for players to unwind and show off some hidden talents – on and off the ice. Elaborate costumes, flashy moves and maybe a bit of a song and dance; it’s all part of a show that keeps the fans coming back for more.

Then on Sunday, the four divisions pit their top players against each other in a four-team tournament to determine this year’s All-Star champion. The move away from the traditional one-off inter-conference exhibition clash has been a big success, bringing a competitive edge to a light-hearted show and giving spectators the best of both worlds.

A hi-tech event

Traditionally, the All-Star Game brings glimpses of new technology. Last year, for the first time, the KHL unveiled its Smart Pucks in Kazan. This season, of course, that system has rolled out across the entire league, giving unparalleled data about all the action. This year, the opening ceremony for the All-Star Game takes the tech to a new level. Forget the familiar light show on the ice; this will be a full multi-media experience on a stage 21 square meters in size.

Captains chosen

A quick look at this year’s four All-Star captains highlights the depth of quality on offer at the weekend. On home ice at Dynamo’s VTB Arena, Vadim Shipachyov will lead Team Bobrov. Shipachyov has been in blistering form this season with 55 (15+40) points from 50 games to lead the KHL in scoring. Another big scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, lies third in the race with 45 points for CSKA. He captains Team Tarasov, and has already been busy ensuring Vyacheslav Gretsky, the unexpected All-Star pick from Dinamo Minsk, feels part of the team. Danis Zaripov needs no introduction. The Team Kharlamov captain has won an unprecedented five Gagarin Cups, most recently in 2018 with Ak Bars. Darren Dietz of Barys is the only defenseman on the list, and the only import. The Canadian-born blue-liner’s two-way role is already famous in his third season in the KHL.

2020 FONBET KHL All-Star Game captains announced

Yip – China’s first player

The 2020 FONBET All-Star Game features players representing 11 nations. And one flag will fly proudly over the event for the first time. Brandon Yip, captain and record-breaker with Kunlun Red Star, is set to become the first Chinese player to take part in the event.

“I guessed that I might be the first Chinese player, given that Kunlun hasn’t played all that long in the league,” he said. “Of course, I’m proud to represent China at this event and also to make history. I hope I can make a good impression.”

Mozyakin’s streak ends

Amid all the excitement, there is some sad news to report. For the first time in the history of KHL All-Star action, there will be no Sergei Mozyakin. Of course, that’s no reflection on the record-breaking scorer. All things being equal, Metallurg’s captain would be suiting up for Team Kharlamov and – more than likely – extending his scoring records in All-Star play. Unfortunately, though, illness has prevented that, meaning Dennis Rasmussen has the honor of representing Magnitogorsk. And thus, after a run of 11 unbroken All-Star appearances, the ‘iron man’ sequence comes to an end. Will there be another player sufficiently dominant in the KHL to challenge it?

An eye on the future

Once again, the four leading players from the JHL Challenge Cup are back in the show as the KHL All-Star Game tops the bill. This year’s quartet is packed full of potential and ready to take another step towards the big time over the weekend.

First, there’s Nikita Goncharov. This 20-year-old from Oryol made his KHL debut with Vityaz last season and continues to develop at junior level. He’s enjoying his best ever season in the JHL, with 30 (14+16) points from 32 games for Russkiye Vityazi this season. Then there’s Yegor Anisimov, captain of Dynamo St. Petersburg this season, and hoping to get on the ice with fellow Novokuznetsk native Kirill Kaprizov. From Team East, we have Yegor Chinakhov of Omskiye Yastreby, winner of a World U18 silver medal last season and rattling along at more than a point a game in the league this season. Finally, Altai’s German Shaporev has been in still more devastating form this season, picking up 53 (29+24) points in 43 appearances for the team from Ust-Kamenogorsk.

Promoting the top junior stars is no gimmick. These kids aren’t just here to make up the numbers. Previous years have proved that the youngsters can make an impact in their own right. Remember 2017, when Andrei Altybarmakyan produced a game-winning, tournament-winning goal to grace any highlight reel? He’s since established himself as an important player at HC Sochi. And last year saw one Kirill Marchenko get an All-Star invite. The 19-year-old has built on that experience, making himself a part of the first team at SKA and impressing during Russia’s recent World Junior Championship campaign.

The East rises; first JHL Challenge Cup win since 2013

Commentators on the benches

In recent years, Russia’s leading hockey journalists have been invited to prove that they don’t just talk a good game. Prominent broadcasters have become a feature among the coaching staff at the All-Star Game. However, for the last two seasons, the assistant coaching spots have been exclusively reserved for female reporters. In the interests of equality, therefore, 2020 sees the guys get their chance. Four famed commentators, often heard on KHL TV, will take part in this year’s game. For Team Bobrov, Dmitry Fedorov joins SKA’s Alexei Kudashov, while in the Tarasov Division last year’s Gagarin Cup winner Igor Nikitin will work alongside Leonid Weisfeld, who adds coaching to a CV that already features a career as a hugely-respected referee before moving into the media. Denis Kazansky resumes his partnership with Dmitry Kvartlanov, having previously helped him take the reins of Team Tarasov in Ufa in 2017. And Team Chernyshev brings together Bob Hartley with the excitable Oleg Mosalyov, nicknamed ‘Mr. Oy! Oy! Oy!’.

TV Analysts to assist head coaches at the All-Star Weekend

Mascots on Red Square

Nobody can visit Moscow without taking a trip to Red Square, and the All-Star Game is no exception. The outdoor rink – which hosted the first KHL All-Star Game back in 2009 – has staged several events during the week. The last of them comes on Sunday morning, when mascots of all 24 teams in the KHL take to the ice for their special show before the final action of the weekend at the VTB Arena.

Fan interaction

The players, quite rightly, are the top stars in this show. The set-up for 2020 allows even greater scope for them to demonstrate their skills and creativity. But there’s also plenty of focus on the fans – without whom, there would be no sport. In conjunction with the KHL’s partners, the VTB Arena offers a host of different activities for hockey lovers young and old. FONBET, the headline sponsor of the All-Star Week, has a special zone with prize contests and autograph sessions with the All-Stars of the past. Mastercard has set up a ‘Priceless Quest’, with five unexpected challenges for visitors to the games. Megafon is running the ever-popular Air Hockey tournament along with meet-and-greets with this year’s All-Stars in the build-up to the Skill Show. And there’s a modern twist on the traditional autograph session, with a digital version alongside the familiar pen-and-paper affair.

A global audience

This year’s FONBET All-Star Weekend will be broadcast in 25 different countries outside of Russia: Lativa, Lithuania, Estonia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Slovenia, Switzerland, Great Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria, China, Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the USA. And, wherever you are, the whole event will available to see online via KHL TV.

The KHL is delighted to announce that Riga will be the host city for next year’s All-Star Week. The Latvian capital was unveiled as the venue for the 2021 event during Friday’s presentation ceremony for the players taking part in 2020 FONBET All-Star Game at Moscow’s VTB Arena.

Riga faced competition from Helsinki and St. Petersburg to stage next year’s event. Each year, the KHL assesses each candidate against several specific criteria and, after thoroughly reviewing all the bids, the league opted to go to Latvia.

Riga last hosted the All-Star game back in 2012. Now, nine years later, we’re going back to Latvia. During Friday’s presentation, representatives of Dinamo Riga screened a short promo film and spoke about their plans for next year’s festival of hockey.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, KHL President:

Many people have been asking about the selection process for next year’s All-Star host city. For the fourth year running, the candidates have put themselves forward to bid for the show. Subsequently, our commission reviewed each proposal against several dozen criteria before choosing the host for the game. Three cities were competing for the right to stage the All-Star Game: Helsinki, St. Petersburg and Riga. And we can confirm that next year, the KHL All-Star Game will take place in the Latvian capital.

Juris Savitskis, Chairman, Dinamo Riga:

This evening is a great success for me. I’m very pleased that next year Riga will be a true capital of hockey. In 2021 it was be nine years since we previously staged the KHL All-Star Game. So now we will watch very closely how Moscow puts on its show for the fans this year. We also want to ensure that our All-Star Game is organized to the highest possible standards. I promise we’ll come up with something special. Riga is a very hospitable city so please come. We’re looking forward to seeing you at the 2021 KHL All-Star Week.

Friday saw the official presentation of the players taking part in this weekend’s sporting show in Moscow – and unveiled the key theme of the 2020 event. The action in Saturday’s Skill Show and Sunday’s battle of the four divisions will be united by the concept of time. And, with an eye to the future, the presentation event also confirmed the host city for the 2021 KHL All-Star Game.

How often each day do we use words that, one way or another, are connected with the passage of time? We barely even notice how much we reference the passing of years, days, hours and seconds. And how often are we left feeling that there simply isn’t enough time? In a big city like Moscow, the pace of life is so crazy that it’s not just every second that counts, but every hundredth of a second. Everything happens almost at once: the pressure is on to get there fast, make split-second decisions. The same is true on the ice: hockey is a game where success rests on fleeting moments following long years of practice and training.

Photo: 17.01.20. All Star Week 2020. KHL All-Star Game players presentation

The presentation ceremony is a rare moment in the frantic KHL campaign. Only here, and at each season’s closing ceremony, do we get to see the players swap their uniforms for evening wear. It’s a chance for our hockey stars to unwind a little from the pressure of daily competition in the annual race to lift the cup.

This year, the presentation of the players selected for the 2020 FONBET All-Star Game was separated into categories inspired by time; after all, in hockey timing is everything.

I’m delighted to welcome everyone to Moscow for the FONBET KHL All-Star Week, to the presentation ceremony where we greet our latest stars. This is the fourth time we have staged our All-Star festival in this wonderful, week-long format. We’re all looking forward to a great weekend, full of excitement, in the company of those who are already stars of our game and those who are preparing to become the shining lights of the next generation. The entire hockey world is paying attention to our show this weekend – and that’s not just talk: we can see great interest among fans, and the All-Star Game will be broadcast in many countries around the world.

After the words of welcome from the president it was time for the main event – the presentation of the players for the FONBET KHL All-Star Game. And the thumbnail sketches of each player were also inspired by time – for everyone, there was some detail that could be expressed in relations to hours, minutes or days.

For example, when introducing Julius Hudacek, goalie for Spartak and Team Bobrov, it’s impossible to ignore his unforgettable ‘Huda-Show’, to which he devotes his time after every victory. Dynamo Moscow’s leading scorer, Vadim Shipachyov, meanwhile, uses his time to bond with the fans; not long ago he even gave an interview in a local kindergarten. SKA’s forward Vladimir Tkachyov has demonstrated his speed this season, taking just three seconds to speed down the ice, beat two defensemen and score.

This year’s All-Star surprise package, Dinamo Minsk forward Vyacheslav Gretsky, has been spending plenty of time telling people: “no, we’re not related.” His Team Tarasov captain Kirill Kaprizov gets a like on Instagram every 1.5 seconds. Jakub Kovar, Avtomobilist’s long-serving Czech goalie, is learning to make pelmeni in his free time, while his clubmate Nigel Dawes picks up another point for every 19 minutes he spends on the ice. In this vein, each player was greeted with a witty introduction that combined key stats with interesting tales from his back story.

This year’s assistant coaches are taken from the world of TV, with renowned commentators Dmitry Fedorov, Denis Kazansky, Oleg Mosalyov and Leonid Weisfeld swapping mics for clipboards. They also took part in the presentation ceremony and were given the tricky task of delivering a ‘time-out’; a 30-second speech to prepare their players for a key moment in the game. These pros can do so much more than just commentate and they more than matched up to the task at hand – not surprising, perhaps, since they all play hockey to a decent amateur standard and, in Weisfeld’s case, have vast experience as a referee.

After introducing the players from Team Tarasov, the presenters unexpectedly took us into the future for the announcement of the host city for the 2021 All-Star Game. Dmitry Chernyshenko returned to the stage and told the audience that the honor would go to Riga. Aigars Kalvitis, president of the Latvian Hockey Federation, and Juris Savitskis, president of Dinamo Riga, were on hand to accept the challenge and make a short presentation about the Latvian capital and its plans for next year.

There was also a message from Olegs Burovs, mayor of Riga. “Historically, hockey has been one of the most popular sports in Latvia,” he said. “Thus, it’s no surprise that Dinamo Riga is the best-known team in our country. Riga is a dynamic, modern country and that’s precisely the kind of play that Dinamo loves to show on the ice.

“Dinamo is one of the symbols of our city, a team that our residents can be proud of. And Riga is proud that once again we will welcome the KHL All-Stars. In Riga, we love, respect and treasure our hockey, and our fans are renowned throughout the hockey world.”

The introduction of the players for Team Chernyshev and Team Kharlamov concluded the main part of the show. But there was more to come as the four youngsters whose performance in last week’s JHL Challenge Cup earned them an invite to the KHL All-Star Game returned. Now it was time to assign each of them to a team for the weekend ahead.

The selection procedure was unusual. The four head coaches – Dmitry Kvartalnov, Igor Nikitin, Alexei Kudashov and Bob Hartley– were invited to select a player without seeing him, but merely by listening to his answers to questions about how he spends his time in day-to-day life.

In the end, Alexei Kudashov chose German Shaporev for Team Bobrov. Team Tarasov head coach Igor Nikitin picked Yegor Anisimov. Dmitry Kvartalnov selected Nikita Goncharov for Team Kharlamov while Yegor Chinakhov was Bob Hartley’s pick for Team Chernyshev. Then the youngsters emerged to collect their jerseys from their captains: Kirill Kaprizov, Vadim Shipachyov, Danis Zaripov and Bob Hartley (Chernyshev Division captain Darren Dietz was delayed when his flight from Kazakhstan was caught in a snow storm).

The ceremony ended with FONBET General Director Alexander Paramonov making a presentation to the four junior players. Each received an individual award, and a donation of kit for the schools where they took the first steps on their hockey journeys.

After the ceremony was done, there was time for a group photo with all the participants in the 2020 KHL All-Star Game.

Ilya Sorokin, goalie, CSKA:

The All-Star Game is a special way to spend your time. It’s a chance for us players to get together and get to know each other, and it’s a time when we can really put on a show for the fans. For me, the main thing is to keep growing hockey’s popularity and I hope that the fans have a good time this weekend. Right now, I’m thinking about what I can do to make the All-Star Weekend a memorable one. I don’t want to copy anyone else’s ideas, I can’t do an imitation ‘Huda-show’; nobody else has Julius’s charisma. But I’ll come up with something.

Lauris Darzins, forward, Dinamo Riga:

It’s a great show that we love to put on for the fans. They get closer to us, they can see us in a new light, relaxing and enjoying ourselves away from the serious business of winning games in the KHL. The All-Star Game is a great way to bring the players and the fans closer together and I’ve no doubt that in Moscow everything will be just as great as in Kazan as year ago. And for me, there’s extra motivation to get an invitation again next year, when the All-Star Game takes place in Riga, in my homeland. In Latvia, we know how to stage a super hockey show and I’m already envious of those who will take part in 2021.

Yakov Rylov, defenseman, Spartak Moscow:

I’m really happy to be taking part in my first KHL All-Star Game. I hope I won’t let anyone down. I always used to watch on TV when I had the chance, and now I’m here as one of the players. I hope we can make sure that all the fans who come to the arena have a great time.

Vadim Shipachyov, forward, Dynamo Moscow:

The All-Star Game is a great time to catch up with friends. I’ve played alongside so many of these guys in the past and it’s always fun to meet up at an event like this. I love the All-Star Game. Personally, I’ve not planned much for the Skill Show, but I can let you into a little secret: watch out for Dmitrij Jaskin. He’s got something up his sleeve.

Adam Almquist, defenseman, Admiral:

It’s good to be here representing my club. We’ve got a lot of great players and coaches here. It’s always interesting to get to know the new players in the league. It’s my first time at something like this and I’m sure it will be a unique experience. This weekend gives a chance to get my head straight. We’ve been doing OK at Admiral this season but we want to finish it off by making the playoffs. My teammates have asked me to bring back some baseball caps; of course, I’ll make sure they all get a souvenir.

Alexei Kudashov, head coach, SKA:

The All-Star Game is a chance to see our best players. It’s a real honor for the guys who earned the right to take part. I know how much the fans are looking forward to this, it’s a real festival for them. I’ve been to All-Star Games as a player and as a coach. I think it’s easier as a coach: you stand at the bench and there’s no pressure. But the players still have to go out on the ice and put the work in.

Igor Bobkov, goalie, Avangard:

At the All-Star Game the fans get to see another side of hockey. Unfortunately, we can’t always play pretty when we have to focus on getting results. But here we can show off all our tricks. I can assure you, Linus Omark has something incredible lined up for this weekend. I’m planning a little something as well, but that’s a secret for now. When I get to the arena tomorrow and see what the guys are doing, then I’ll make my final decision.

Yegor Anisimov, forward, Dynamo St Petersburg:

It all turned out great. I’m going to be on the same team as Kirill Kaprizov, you could call it a Novokuznetsk connection. We know each other from before, I crossed his path at school before I left Novokuznetsk. So far we haven’t made any plans, but as soon as we met on the stage, the first thing he asked was how long since I’d been back home!

German Shaporev, forward, Altai:

I was really nervous up there on the stage, I think everyone could see that. And I think all the juniors were a bit nervous, after all, not everyone gets an invite to the KHL All-Star Game. It was a big thrill before the ceremony when Vadim Shipachyov himself came over to shake our hands. So we quickly got to know each other. On stage I had a chance to chat with him some more. Vadim asked where I play and where I come from. It’s good to have a captain who makes everyone feel so comfortable. I think it’s going to be fun working with everyone this weekend.

Nikita Goncharov, forward, Russkiye Vityazi:

I’m really pleased that I landed with a good coach on a good team. We’ve got so many masters here. Straight away I saw Danis Zaripov. I remember when I was just a kid I used to watch him on TV, and now I’m going to be playing with him on the same team. It’s unbelievable! The next few days are going to be great! To be honest, I was shaking today when they announced my name. And my knees were still knocking when I got onto the stage, but when I shook hands with the coach everything was fine.

Yegor Chinakhov, forward, Omskiye Yastreby:

I’m going to be on Bob Hartley’s team, I’m really pleased about that. Now I just need to prove myself in the All-Star Game. I hope I can put on something a bit special, but the Skill Show is really cool. And I need to try to understand all the imports – there are a lot of them in our locker room [laughs].

The skills competition will be held in the format of four teams event made up of players from four divisions. Six competitions will be held, which will include both team and individual competitions.

FASTEST SKATER

Two players from each team will test their speed, facing off against an opponent in a two-skater race.

The race track for the head-to-head matchups is the border of the rink, split in half lengthways. Each skater will be timed to determine the winner. If a race ends in a tie, each of the teams will be awarded one point.

The skater with the fastest time in the head-to-head matchups will skate a full lap of the outside border of the rink in the direction of his choosing, in an attempt to break Enver Lisin’s record (12,450 seconds). If at the completion of the main event, two skaters are tied for the fastest overall time, both skaters will undertake another full lap of the rink in an attempt to break the record.

Possible points to gain: 6

There will be 4 matchups.

The winner of each matchup scores one point.

The team with the fastest skater scores one bonus point.

If the fastest skater is successful in breaking Enver Lisin’s record of 12,450 seconds, an additional bonus point will be awarded to the team.

SAVE STREAK

Four goalkeepers and all players participate.

Goalies compete to make the most consecutive saves. Each goalie will face an opposing division team and will face a minimum of nine scoring attempts. Each attempt is officiated in accordance with KHL shootout rules and begins on the referee’s whistle. Players from each team will shoot in numerical order, lowest to highest, with the captain shooting last.

A goalie’s round cannot end with a save – if the division captain’s (the last player) shot is saved, the goalie will continue to face shooters until a goal is scored. If the goalie makes a save on the division captain’s shot, the sequence will return to the beginning.

The goalie with the highest number of consecutive saves will be the winner of the competition. If there is a tie, the goalie with the highest number of total saves made during his round will be crowned the winner.

The winning goalie scores one point for their team.

A special jury will choose the most creative attempt, which will result in an additional bonus point for the team.

SKILLS CHALLENGE RELAY

This timed relay event involves seven skaters and one goaltender from each team. It consists of four relays and five technical challenges:

One-Timers: 3 shooters and 1 passer per team

Passing: 1 passer per team

Puck Control: 1 skater per team

Stick-handling: 1 skater per team

Goalie Goals: 1 goaltender per team

Each skill must be completed before moving onto the next challenge, with the exception of Goalie Goals, which will have a maximum of 30 seconds allocated to it. The goal is to finish all five challenges faster than the opponents.

There will be two heats (four relays in total).

Possible points to gain: 3

The team with the fastest overall time in each heat scores one point.

The team with the fastest overall time scores one bonus point.

HARDEST SHOT

Two shooters from each of the four teams will attempt to hit the hardest slap shot, in a series of head-to-head matchups.

Each player will attempt two shots, with the teams alternating after each player. One puck will be placed 8 meters from the center of the net. Each shot will be calculated in kilometers per hour (km/h), with the highest speed of their two shots being recorded.Possible points to gain: 6

The winner of each of the four matchups will score one point.

The team with the player who has the hardest shot scores one bonus point.

If a player breaks Alexandr Ryazantsev’s record of 183,87 km/h, they will score one bonus point for their team.

SHOOTING ACCURACY (SNIPER)

Two players from each of the four teams will take part.

This is a timed event where a shooter is positioned 7 meters from the goal line and shoots pucks at four LED targets located in the net. On the referee’s whistle, one of the four LED targets will randomly light up for three seconds and the player will attempt to hit the lit target.

Targets that are hit will be taken out of the random sequencing. If the target is not hit within three seconds the next target will be lit. The clock stops when the player has successfully hit all four targets. The player that hits all four targets in the fastest time will win the heat.

If there is a tie for the fastest time, the tied players will compete again to determine the winner.

Possible points to gain: 5

The winner of each of the four matchups gets one point.

The team whose player knocks out all the targets the fastest from across all of the heats will receive one bonus point.

HOCKEY BIATHLON

Five players from each team participate in each matchup.

Two players from two teams will start at the same time from the end line on two separate tracks. After covering the track, the player passes onto the next participant. The winning team is the one whose final skater returns to the initial position first.

The track consists of five sections:

First – skating with a puck around a face-off circle (one circle)

Second – hockey slalom with a puck

Third – stick work with a puck

Fourth – “Biathlon targets” – the player has five pucks, including the one which they arrive with, to shoot at targets from within a face-off circle. For every target missed, the player has to skate the same number of circles around the face-off circle

Fifth – speed section back to starting point

Possible points to gain: 3

The winning team from each of the four matchups will score one point.

The team with the fastest overall time scores one bonus point.

* If several teams will have the same number of points based on the results of all six contests, the winner will be the team that had the best time following the results of the sixth competition.

Team Kharlamov powered to victory in the 2020 FONBET All-Star Skill Show in Moscow on a day of thrills and fun for the 9,000 fans who came to the VTB Arena.

The top stars of the league assembled to show off their tricks and creativity, drawing on everything from hockey talent to poetic license in a bid to impress. And the event had everything from a rookie speeding past his rivals to a contemporary take on Russia’s greatest poet as the Gala weekend in Moscow got off to a fine start.

Photo: 18.01.20. FONBET All Star Week 2020. KHL Master-show

When time is the theme of the event, every second counts. When it’s the Megafon fastest lap, every fraction of a second counts. Speed is typically a young man’s game and it was Yegor Anisimov, one of the players called up from the JHL Challenge Cup, who blazed to victory. He wasn’t quite quick enough to beat Enver Lisin’s all-time record of 12.45 seconds, but he was quick enough to give Team Tarasov the win in the first competition of the weekend.

Next came the penalty shot challenge, with each division nominating a netminder to face nine penalty shots from the skaters of one of the rival teams. However, the skaters were not going to let the goalies take the limelight: it was also time for fancy dress, family games, traditional snacks and a sport of classical Russian literature.

Among the highlights of the SOGAZ-sponsored show, we saw Alexander Semin and Yakov Rylov invite their young sons to the ice to take the shots. Slava Voynov fired two pucks at Timur Bilyalov, but the goalie stopped them both. Severstal’s Yegor Morozov, representing the home of Russia’s Santa Claus in Vologda Region, dressed up as the big man, but was upstaged by Barys defenseman Darren Dietz.

The Canadian-born Kazakh international dressed up as Alexander Pushkin, Russia’s great poet, and showed off his own language skills as he declaimed an update of the master’s ‘Winter Morning’. The two-way D-man never ceases to surprise.

Next came the FONBET Hockey Skills Relay, with each team racing to see how quickly it could negotiate the obstacles laid out on the ice. It was also a chance for the goalies to show off their kit. Ilya Sorokin, of CSKA and Team Tarasov, wears pads with a special design, based on drawings by young patients at the Veltishchev Clinical Institute. Sorokin visited the hospital before the New Year holiday and took a clean set of pads for the youngsters in the cardio unit to decorate. After this weekend’s action, the pads will be auctioned to raise funds for young goalie Vilen Prokofiev, who is currently battling against a serious illness.

Task four was the hardest shot, sponsored by Hankook, traditionally a chance for the D-men to step up and swing into their best slap shots. True to form, the win went to a blue liner with Sibir’s Jyrki Jokipakka clocked at a mighty 157.26 km/h. Hard as the shot was, it’s still not enough to knock the smarts out of the hi-tech pucks used in the KHL this season.

After power comes accuracy; two players from each team look to hit four targets as quickly as possible in the HAIER Sharp Shooting contest. Nigel Dawes needed less than eight seconds to extend Team Kharlamov’s overall lead with a devastating flurry of four shots in 7.877 seconds.

And the final task was the MasterCard Hockey biathlon, greeted with a serenade from a brass band smuggled into the arena by the KHL’s partner. A priceless moment for the fans, and more priceless points for Team Kharlamov as it won the final event to take top spot in the overall standings with 11 points, five ahead of Team Tarasov.

Part one of the 2020 FONBET All-Star Game is done. Team Kharlamov won Saturdays Skill Show in Moscow and after the event, the players had plenty to talk about.

Vyacheslav Gretsky, Dinamo Minsk and Team Tarasov

It wasn’t easy to score. I managed to get a shot away, but it barely reached the net. To be honest, my heart was pounding; at the start I thought it would stop. I wanted to keep my promise and bring draniki [a traditional Belarusian potato pancake] for the goalie but in the end we had to give him syrniki [a popular cheesy pancake] instead because we made them here in Moscow. Julius [Hudacek] didn’t say anything, but he gobbled it all up so it must have been tasty! I’m sure my team is watching the All-Star action, I can see people chatting about it online.

Danis Zaripov, Ak Bars and Team Kharlamov

As usual, everyone had a great time at this festival. I’m really keen on the idea of people wearing traditional costumes. Even though we’re all used to these games, every year people come up with something different. And so we decided to go out with a Tatar flag and a big Achpochmak [Tatar meat pie]. As you can see, it helped us, we got more points than everyone else! But really, today isn’t about winning or losing. The All-Star Game is a festival and everyone wants to relax and enjoy themselves.

Yegor Anisimov, Dynamo St. Petersburg (JHL) and Team Tarasov

It’s great to be a part of the KHL All-Star Game. I tried to treat it like a show, but I had some serious nerves before we started. I’m proud to represent the JHL and my club, Dynamo SPb. And I’m especially pleased that I was the fastest in my event. Before the show, the more experienced guys in the locker room tried to get everyone in the mood, everyone started chatting and helping the younger guys to feel at home. I hope there’s even more fun to come, after all, many players don’t get the chance to go to the All-Star Game in their entire career, and I’ve made it. It’s something to be proud of.

Darren Dietz, Barys and Team Chernyshev

Why Pushkin? Because everyone associates Russia with poetry and literature. I learned some of Pushkin’s verses, I spent maybe 10, 12 hours on it. I’m interested in Russian literature, to be honest English writers weren’t so interesting to study. To be honest, I’d never heard of this writer before I came to Russia. I still don’t know his life story: that’s my second class. Today I’ve only completed lesson one.

Ilya Sorokin, CSKA and Team Tarasov

Along with Bauer, we visited the cardio unit at a children’s hospital and the kids helped me make these lovely pads. They drew all over them. Now we’re putting them up for auction and all the proceeds are going to help pay for treatment for Vilen Prokofiev, a young goalie. I’d like to say a big hello to Vilen and urge him to stay strong. We’re all rooting for you!

Alexander Semin, Vityaz and Team Tarasov

I don’t think I could play in a Bogatyr’s helmet, I don’t know how the Russian heroes of old, the Vityazi, fought while wearing them! Before the All-Star Game, the idea of taking a penalty shot with my boy came up spontaneously. He liked the idea, so we did it. I haven’t been at an event like this since 2006 in Mytishchi, back before the KHL. So thanks for inviting me this time!

Yegor Chinakhov, Omskiye Yastreby and Team Chernyshev

At the All-Star Game everything is cool. At first, I was nervous, worried about making a mistake, but the guys were so supportive and I quickly calmed down. For example, Tomas Zohorna asked me to help him practice his Russian. I’ve been watching all the players closely and trying to learn from the best. It’s fun to see everyone in an atmosphere like this, when it’s so relaxed. But I’m also trying to focus on my hockey. I even got a chance to chat with Bob Hartley, Igor Bobkov helped to interpret for us.

Jyrki Jokipakka, Sibir and Team Chernyshev

I know that in Russian my name sounds like the expression ‘yolki-palki’, so I decided to dress up as a ‘yolka’, a fir tree, for my penalty shot. It’s always good to keep that holiday mood, especially since I used to dream of meeting Joulopukki, the Finnish Santa Claus. I think my winning shot in the competition was the hardest I’ve hit a puck in my life. I can’t imagine ever beating Ryazantsev’s record.

Leonid Weisfeld, TV pundit and commentator

I could just about picture myself as a coach, but I never imaged I could sing in front of a packed arena. It was fun to perform in front of such a crowd and I knew that I was part of a team that I could rely on. Among the players, I really liked Darren Dietz’ performance. He recited Pushkin with such feeling. I’ve never heard a North American speak such good Russian. But it’s not easy being a coach. From the bench it’s hard to see anything. In the commentary box you give a different view and lots of different angles. The game looks very different!

Ilya Shinkevich, Vityaz and Team Tarasov

Everything went well, I’ve only good things to say about it. I’d like to thank the Belarusian fans who voted for me to come here. It’s really nice. At first I didn’t know anything about it, but then my friends started calling from Minsk to tell me what was going on. I was a big surprise, I was in shock! But then I got used to the idea and I’m really enjoying it.

Ivan Bocharov, Dynamo Moscow and Team Bobrov

It’s great to be at an event like this. We’ve got the best players in the league right now, lots of top imports, and it’s a real honor for me to represent Dynamo here. Today my wife and family came along to support me and hopefully tomorrow even the kids will come along. Of course I saw Pekka Rinne’s goal the other day and I’d love to do that myself one day. Of course, it’s not my major ambition, but it would be nice to do it. It’s not every day that goalies get to score. If I’d had time to practice, I’m sure I could have scored with one of my three shots today. Tomorrow, of course, we’re playing to win. In these games, the goalies have a big role. If the players enjoy themselves too much, there will be a lot of goals.

Moscow is excited to greet the heroes of the All-Star Weekend – and that doesn’t just mean the players. An event like this would be nothing without the thousands of fans who filled the arena for Saturday’s Skill Show and returned for more at Sunday’s All-Star Game. The whole show is designed especially for them, and their support, year after year, is what makes the All-Star action so special for everyone involved.

Many of those at the VTB Arena yesterday had travelled thousands of kilometres to be a part of it all. The tribunes were a riot of different colored uniforms, from Admiral and Amur in the Far East to Salavat Yulaev and Sibir, Barys and Avtomobilist. Team rivalries for once forgotten, everyone was united in the love of the game.

Spartak fan Viktoria Kurochkina was enjoying her first All-Star Weekend – and it more than lived up to expectations. “The opening ceremony was incredible and using time as the overall theme was a great idea,” she said. “Our goalie, Julius Hudacek, had a New Year theme for his show and, as usual, he put on a great performance. It’s great to see how creative the players can be.”

At the All-Star events, fans don’t just root for the players from their own clubs. It’s a chance to enjoy the skills of all the top players in the KHL. Konstanin Kharlampiyev, an Admiral fan, made the long journey from Vladivostok to Moscow and was greatly impressed by Salavat Yulaev goalie Juha Metsola. “I really liked the way he made his saves,” Konstantin said. “He did a really good job. I’ve followed his career since he came to the KHL, when he started at our neighbor in Khabarovsk.”

Lots of fans are now based in Moscow but took the opportunity to remember their roots and cheer for the players from their hometown teams. “Our family moved to Moscow from Kazakhstan six years ago, so of course we had to come along and cheer for Darren Dietz, our captain on Team Chernyshev,” said Barys fan Olzhas Akimulov. He was watching the show with his children and there were all greatly impressed with Dietz’ Pushkin recital.

Others have lived in Moscow all their lives, but still support teams from the regions. Kirill Sorokin, a Muscovite who supports Sibir, said: “I brought the whole family to cheer for Team Kharlamov. We were looking forward to a real show and we weren’t disappointed. And that’s just the first day!”

Emil Nafikov came from Ufa to see the All-Star weekend and reckoned the Skill Show was one of the highlights of the season. “The best thing about it is that we get so many fans from different parts of the country – and beyond – so everyone quickly makes friends and forgets about the rivalries between our clubs.”

Quite a few fans chose to see the Skill Show rather than Sunday’s All-Star mini-tournament. Svetlana Rumyantseva came from Yaroslavl special for Saturday’s event to cheer for Lokomotiv’s Stephane Da Costa. “At the Skill Show the players got to show off their other talents – acting, creativity and, best of all, their individuality. It creates a real spectacle.”

Olga Usoltseva is an Avtomobilist fan and a regular at All-Star events. “This is the eighth All-Star Game we’ve come to with our family and the kids are just crazy about the Skill Show. They were so excited they couldn’t stay in their seats, they really got behind the players. To see that look on their faces is just priceless. Thank you, KHL!”

The Bobrov Division came out on top in the 2020 FONBET All-Star Game, with Mikko Lehtonen playing a starring role. The Jokerit defenseman scored twice in the final against Team Tarasov before potting the winning penalty after a 6-6 tie in regulation. Earlier in the day, Linus Omark was an unexpected goaltending star as Team Chernyshev claimed goal and youngster German Shaporev started off the action by blasting a hat-trick to help Team Bobrov win its semi-final.

Photo: 19.01.20. FONBET All-Star Week 2020. KHL All-Star Game

Lehtonen decides the destiny of the gold

The All-Star final was a game of fightbacks. In the first period, Team Tarasov led 2-0 and 3-1, but Team Bobrov hit back to lead 4-3 at the intermission. Yakov Rylov, Mikko Lehtonen and Vladimir Tkachyov scored in the space of one minute, 47 seconds, to turn the game upside down. But the second period was almost a mirror of the first, with Tarasov showing its character to recover from 3-5 and 4-6 to take the action to a shoot-out. Stephane Da Costa and Kirill Kaprizov got the late goals to deny Team Bobrov victory in regulation.

However, in the extras there was no way past Dynamo goalie Ivan Bocharov and Lehtonen settled matters when he became the first and only player to find the net in the shoot-out. Bocharov’s goaltending colleague was Julius Hudacek which meant it was time for the traditional celebratory Huda-show at the end of another hard-fought victory.

Omark stars in goal for Team Chernyshev

The bronze medal game saw Team Chernyshev take on Team Kharlamov – and they served up a thriller. The first surprise came when Bob Hartley radically altered his tactics for the game and had Linus Omark suit up in goal for Chernyshev. The Swede, more renowned for plundering goals than preventing them, swapped roles with Ufa team-mate Juha Metsola, and earned a huge ovation from his colleague after some early saves. Metsola, meanwhile, picked up an assist on a Nikita Soshnikov goal as the first period ended 3-2 in favor of Team Kharlamov.

Metsola then took his accustomed place in net, only to see Kharlamov jump to a 7-4 lead. Omark scored to begin the fightback, Chernyshev made it 7-7 and Dmitry Kvartalnov was chewing his clipboard bench the Kharlamov bench. The teams traded late goals – Nigel Dawes for Kharlamov, Adam Almqvist for Chernyshev – before Omark went back in net for the deciding shoot-out. The Swede blanked the opposition every time, while successful efforts from Brandon Yip and youngster Yegor Chinakhov earned Chernyshev the hardware.

Shaporev stars in the semis

Earlier in the day, the two semi-finals set the tone – and possibly uncovered a star of the future. In game one, Team Bobrov defeated Team Chernyshev 7-4 thanks to a hat-trick from German Shaporev. Who’s he? One of the four youngsters called up from the JHL Challenge Cup last week and invited to join the KHL All-Stars. Shaporev, 19, plays his hockey with Altai Ust-Kamenogorsk in the Junior League, but he was in no way overawed by this occasion. He potted the first goal of the day and knocked in two more in the second period. Team-mate Yegor Morozov (Severstal) scored twice; Chernyshev’s goals all came from one line, with Darren ‘Pushkin’ Dietz and Nikita Soshnikov also getting two apiece.

The second semi-final was also full of special moments – two of them involving Team Kharlamov’s goalies. Jakub Kovar wasn’t entirely thrilled with the work of his defense in the early stages of the game as Team Tarasov jumped to a 2-0 lead in just 71 seconds. So he opted to step up and take the next face-off himself, asking young Yegor Anisimov to replace him on the crease. But those pads got in the way, Kovar lost the draw and Vyacheslav Gretsky made it 3-0.

Kovar later got some revenge when he stopped a penalty shot from the Belarusian, but another penalty shot provided another memorable moment. Danis Zaripov was called for delaying the game at the start of the second period and goalie Andrei Tikhomirov stepped up to take the shot for Team Tarasov. However, it wasn’t the most fluent approach to the net and, in the end, Timur Bilyalov was able to lie back and put his feet up as he made the save.

However, Tikhomirov and his team-mates had the last laugh, grabbing two late goals to snatch an 8-6 victory.

The 2020 FONBET All-Star Week ended with Team Bobrov winning the All-Star Game mini-tournament at Moscow’s VTB Arena. And, as players and coaches confirmed, everyone left the show on a wave of good feeling.

Pavel Poryadin, Neftekhimik forward, on Team Kharlamov’s semi-final loss

Maybe we expected too much from this game got a bit burned out. But we still managed a fightback before our luck ran out. The captain got us up for the game in the right way, but I can’t say how. It’s a secret. I’ll just say that we started last night, listening to music.

Vadim Shipachyov, Dynamo forward, on Team Bobrov’s semi-final win

We had a serious practice. The players were all preparing for the game and the goalies were up all night. As captain, I wanted to make sure that the younger players all had a good time and enjoyed themselves, they did great. I’d have to say, though, that it’s tough playing 3-on-3 hockey, even in a show format.

Julius Hudacek, Spartak goalie, after Team Bobrov’s semi-final

I think it was a good game for the fans. Everyone was hoping for some beautiful hockey and we saw lots of goals, lots of shots. Our captain is a Dynamo player and we’re in Dynamo’s arena, so there were lots of fans getting behind us here today.

Linus Omark, Salavat Yulaev forward, on playing in goal in place of Juha Metsola

I’ve always dreamed of playing in goal. Unfortunately, I had to use my own skates; Juha’s were a bit tight on me. Today I didn’t even have time for lunch, and I was tired, but the game was so much fun. A couple of years ago I played in goal, but that was at a game for kids in Ufa and I didn’t have to deal with any real shots. By the way, I even have a favorite goalie: my cousin Daniel Henriksson. He was my hero when I was growing up.

Juha Metsola, Salavat Yulaev goalie, on his cameo as a skater

At a fun event like the All-Star Game, it’s good to play as a forward for a change. The last time I did this was at an open-air game in Ufa with some schoolchildren. I absolutely had faith in Linus as a goalie. Maybe we should do this during a regular season game? [laughs]

Andrei Tikhomirov, Torpedo goalie

I really enjoyed it. I wasn’t sure whether I needed to prepare very seriously or just relax, but in this atmosphere, it was all smiles. It means a lot that I could be involved with all the stars of the KHL. It’s a pity that we couldn’t win the final, but really this is all about putting on a show for the fans. I hope they enjoyed it.

Yegor Anisimov, Dynamo St. Petersburg forward

There are just so many different emotions! I especially enjoyed the Skill Show, and the time in the game when I won a face-off using my stick handle. I’d like to thank the older guys on the team. Their experience and advice really helped me.

Igor Nikitin, CSKA head coach, after losing in the final

It was a great show for the fans. The guys enjoyed the atmosphere, it was a lot of fun. Of course, there was a competitive edge as well. Everybody wanted to win. I thanked the guys after the final, because they put everything into it. For many, this wasn’t their first time at the All-Star Game, so people are used to switching from a tough regular season schedule.

Dmitrij Jaskin, Dynamo forward

It’s great that we got the win today. I think all the Dynamo players felt good being here on home ice, I guess that’s why we won. The whole weekend gave us a chance to reset, get a bit of a boost and refresh ourselves before completing the regular season. I don’t know if there will be much of a chance to celebrate, we’ll just chill at home. But overall, the event was super, I liked it a lot. We met a lot of interesting people and had a good time.