When one thinks of Russia, thoughts naturally turn to vodka, caviar, amber, troïkas, art, winter and...HOCKEY!
September 23rd saw us sitting in section C2, row 8, seats 55 & 57 for the Moscow Dynamo vs Sverdlovsk Avtomobilists game played out in the Малая спортивная Лужники "little sports arena of Luzhniki". This KHL game was, sadly, not very well attended but we had a blast, truly. The fun stated at the point of entry to the arena where the guard had to ask me 4 times to fetch a plastic cup for my water (an obvious communication breakdown as I tried to process what he was telling me and just couldn't wrap my brain around it). I chugged the contents of my water bottle instead as the guard looked on in shock and surprise at my actions. He waved me on without making me go back -I'm sure he thought I was just nuts. We found out seats and settled in just prior to game time while two mini blimps puttered around the arena and a group of die-hard Динамо fans chanted to the beat of a large drum and waved a flag the size of my flat.
Without further ado, a stirring version of the Russian national anthem filled the air as the players lined up on the ice, adrenalised and ready for action. The puck dropped and the boys started to chase it furiously, tripping and shoving and pushing and...holy crap, what are those?!!! Hey, Mr. U! Check out the...
You can see for yourself what sights await your eyes at a KHL game...back in Ottawa you just get an overgrown, shaggy, hotdog shooting kitty cat. Here in Moscow we get...well,
you fill in the blanks.
Seriously though, the hockey was fast-paced and skillfully played. The cheerleaders had 3 wardrobe changes throughout the game and kept us all stimulated with their gyrating enthusiasm. Moscow beat Sverdlovsk 2-0. Go team!
This past week we had the rare privilege to meet Vladislav Tretiak, one of the greatest goal-tenders in the history of hockey. He was invited to the Canadian Embassy to receive a donation for his foundation and he gave a speech and signed some hockey jerseys with his #20. We, of course, bought a red one. Mr. Tretiak's foundation supports a huge amount of programs including: Children's Hospitals, Social Shelters for Children and Teenagers, Orphanages, Special Olympic Committee, Indigenous Saami community Kildin, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, Saint-Petersburg Amputee Ice Hockey Federation, All-Russia Society of People with Hearing Impairments, senior homes, and social centers in Saratov, Siberia, Tver, Irkutsk and other regions of Russia.
Владисла́в Алекса́ндрович Третья́к
Unfortunately the photo I took with him didn't turn out, but here is a picture of the big man himself, signing a jersey. I wonder what would happen if I were to wear it to a Sens game? Would I get 'cred' or crap for it?
Without further ado, a stirring version of the Russian national anthem filled the air as the players lined up on the ice, adrenalised and ready for action. The puck dropped and the boys started to chase it furiously, tripping and shoving and pushing and...holy crap, what are those?!!! Hey, Mr. U! Check out the...
You can see for yourself what sights await your eyes at a KHL game...back in Ottawa you just get an overgrown, shaggy, hotdog shooting kitty cat. Here in Moscow we get...well,
you fill in the blanks.
This past week we had the rare privilege to meet Vladislav Tretiak, one of the greatest goal-tenders in the history of hockey. He was invited to the Canadian Embassy to receive a donation for his foundation and he gave a speech and signed some hockey jerseys with his #20. We, of course, bought a red one. Mr. Tretiak's foundation supports a huge amount of programs including: Children's Hospitals, Social Shelters for Children and Teenagers, Orphanages, Special Olympic Committee, Indigenous Saami community Kildin, and Ronald McDonald House Charities, Saint-Petersburg Amputee Ice Hockey Federation, All-Russia Society of People with Hearing Impairments, senior homes, and social centers in Saratov, Siberia, Tver, Irkutsk and other regions of Russia.
Владисла́в Алекса́ндрович Третья́к
Unfortunately the photo I took with him didn't turn out, but here is a picture of the big man himself, signing a jersey. I wonder what would happen if I were to wear it to a Sens game? Would I get 'cred' or crap for it?
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