In Russia, as soon as it comes to the popularization of anything, just a simple person does not have the opportunity to attend the event. So the hockey match between veterans of the USSR and the world was conceived as a powerful agitprop action, which was supposed to make people think of such a powerful sport as hockey (the Russian championship, held regularly, as you know, performs exactly the opposite functions). Instead, Red Square was cordoned off, and Muscovites and even guests of the capital were arguing with police about the need to warn.
Tickets were sold to the stands near the venue at a price of one to four thousand rubles. Most interesting is that the places were uncomfortable. The Christmas tree, standing between the sectors, closed the gates. Of course, no one thought of this.
“Something is unclear how we will play,” Viktor Kuzkin mused aloud, looking from the bench to the court. - Nothing is visible. The light is bad.
- Okay, what are you worried about? - laughed Alexander Kozhevnikov. - We’ll play by touch, not get used to it.
Players of the Russian team generally looked good. Between themselves, not only friends joked, but also people in whose relations the cold slips.
“Ilyukha, come on, try not to hit your face in the mud now,” Alexei Kasatonov advised his friend Byakin before going on the ice for the first time. - Look, you can get into the national team.
At first, Byakin did not understand whether they were joking with him or not. Vyacheslav Bykov, who was sitting next to him, tried to understand which team the former player was recommended to.
“Why are you looking surprised?” - supported Katasonova Vyacheslav Fetisov. “On the same side, Scotty Bowman.” He is watching you. Suddenly he will take to the national team. But before that moment, Fetisov and Kasatonov did not talk.
Almost the whole team was looking forward to when Vladislav Tretyak, who pride did not allow to get into the goal, would enter the site. He decided to make his debut in defense. “When you go with your back and hit the side, remember that the site is over,” one of the partners advised him.
“And do not cover the puck with a glove, but rather use a club,” choking another, choking on laughter. Tretyak smiled and went onto the ice. On the bench began to immediately laugh at his skating, as well as the ownership of the club. But quickly calmed down and forgot.
“We have to run away from the court in time,” with these words Tretyak completed his first shift, during which he clumsyly tried to throw the puck out of his zone and climb over the side. “What are you climbing to us?” someone suddenly growled. “Canadians are on the other side, you play for them.”
Tretiak thought for a second, and then laughed. “Well, it didn’t work out for me to throw it out right away,” he explained guiltyly.
Suddenly, people standing behind the bench of the Russian team began to be pushed out by guards.
“We are from the FSO,” they said. “You can't stand here.”
“So we work, do not bother us,” they tried to reason.
“We don’t know anything.” Get out of here. Here Shoigu, - the guards did not let up. But at the same time, they did not pay attention to Alimzhan Tokhtakhunov, who was just approaching the minister.
If before the match, all Russian hockey players were determined to support Soviet traditions and defeat their opponents, then after the first period they became less bloodthirsty.
“Let there be a draw today,” Igor Larionov peacefully suggested. - We are here for hockey.
Probably, it became a pity for the world team. She had two times less hockey players than the hosts. And if everything was serious, then by the end of the match they would not have stood.
- What did I do during the match? Asked Victor Tikhonov, the head coach of the USSR national team. - Nothing. All the guys know when to go on the ice. Know when to change. The main thing is not to bother them.
After one of the shifts, Vyacheslav Fetisov completed his task for the game.
“Well, finally, I caught Duke on w ...,” he rejoiced, returning from the ice. And then, thinking, he added. “And that in twenty years.”
Now it’s clear when you can expect work results from Rossport.
Alexey Shevchenko