Ice hockey at REW 2021: world champions, a Stanley Cup winner, and the Canadian ambassador to Russia

October 12, 2021

Moscow has hosted an ice hockey gala match between teams representing REW and Roscongress Sport Club as part of the sporting programme for Russian Energy Week. Taking part in the award ceremony was Canadian Ambassador to Russia Alison LeClaire.

The REW team was captained by General Director of Zenit Football Club (St. Petersburg) Alexander Medvedev, while the Roscongress Sport Club team was captained by Rotex President Evgeny Romaskevich.

Among those to represent Forum participants in the match were Russian Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Alexey Besprozvannykh, as well as ice hockey Olympic medallists Alexey Yashin (World Championships winner) and Valery Zelepukin (Stanley Cup winner). The team’s head coach was chief referee and vice president of the Kontinental Hockey League Alexey Anisimov.

Vostok Resorts CEO Dmitry Anfinogenov, ice hockey world champion Alexander Svitov, and former general manager of KHL team Kunlun Red Star Scott MacPherson made up the initial offensive trio for Roscongress Sport Club. Taking up the position as coach of the team was chief of the refereeing department at the Ice Hockey Federation of Russia Mikhail Karpushin.

“This ice hockey season is a special one. We are marking 75 years of Russian hockey, and the Russian team will attempt to defend their Olympic title. So, hockey will be under the spotlight – we’ll be watching, supporting, and of course, playing. There is already a long-standing tradition of holding ice hockey matches and other sporting events at international forums, and I am in no doubt that this trend will only continue to grow,” said Alexander Medvedev.

The match ended in a hard-fought draw, with the final score 4–4. Member of the Civic Chamber Natalia Pochinok – playing for Roscongress Sport Club – was named player of the match.

Canadian Ambassador to Russia Alison LeClaire congratulated both teams on their game, and highlighted another key anniversary. “As a Canadian, it’s always nice to hear the sound of hockey sticks on ice. I’d like to note that we’ll be marking a major event next year – the 50th anniversary of the first series of matches played between Soviet and Canadian hockey players,” she said.

Rotex and VostokEnergoService are general sporting programme partners for REW 2021, with Roscongress Sport Club as organizer.

The Russian Energy Week International Forum is taking place in Moscow from 13 to 15 October. It is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation, and the Moscow City Government.

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