Photos: Novosibirsk Siberia
The captain of the Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin met with the Governor of Novosibirsk and attended the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) game between Novosibirsk Siberia and Beijing Kunlun on Friday.
Ovechkin is visiting Novosibirsk at the invitation of Governor Andrei Travnikov. Ovechkin also visited a number of sports facilities, and then attended the Novosibirsk Siberia – Kunlun game Friday evening.
The main topics of the meeting with the Governor were the development of ice hockey in the region and the preparation of the region for the holding of the youth ice hockey world championship in 2023.
“At any opportunity, I tell all the guests of our region what hockey is for the Novosibirsk region. This is a truly powerful movement and phenomenon. Our team has the most loyal army of fans, the most grateful and loyal fans in the entire Continental Hockey League,” the head of the region said.
The meeting was also attended by the chairman of the board of directors of Sibanthracite Katerina Bosov, who noted: “Hockey is a national sport, we are glad that HC Siberia is one of the leaders among the hockey teams in Russia, we will continue to support our Novosibirsk hockey players.”
Travnikov and Ovechkin discussed the development of children’s and youth hockey in the region, the successes of young athletes from the Siberia Sports School and the Siberian Snipers Hockey Club.
The Governor thanked Ovechkin for his attention to the development of hockey in the Novosibirsk region: “By your example, you charge athletes to high achievements.”
Ovechkin noted the great importance of the governor’s personal contribution to the development of hockey, noting that in Siberia, in Novosibirsk, they really love this sport: “I think this sport will continue to develop in the region.”
The trio then attended the Novosibirsk Siberia – Kunlun game Friday evening.
[Ovechkin, together with Katerina Bosov, the widow of the owner of “Siberia” who died this spring.]
Ovechkin would address the crowd prior to the start of the game.
“Good afternoon, dear fans! I congratulate you on the start of the KHL season. I hope that soon the stands in Novosibirsk will be filled not by 25, but by 100%. Siberia has always been famous for its fans,” Ovechkin said.
[Governor of the Novosibirsk Region, Andrey Travnikov, Alex Ovechkin, and the chairman of the board of directors of Siberian Anthracite – co-founder of HC Siberia, Ekaterina Bosov, sharing the Governor’s box at the Siberia-Kunlun game.]
Prior to the game, Ovechkin met with the rising stars of Sibir’s academy and took the chance to see his former Team Russia captain Alexei Kovalev in a new role behind the Kunlun bench.
Here, Ovechkin arriving at a practice arena in style.
Videos: HCSibir2010
By Jon Sorensen
