The coach cocks the Kalashnikov and gives a short speech before passing the AK-47 off to the captain, who in turn awards the MVP of the game, goalie Saveli Kononov.
We’ve all seen those Hollywood scenes where the MVP of the game get hoisted onto the shoulders of his teammates and presented a trophy by their coach. But in Russia, they do things a little differently: they arm you with an AK-47 and take a picture.
In a video posted to YouTube on September 10, head coach Ramil Saifull of the Russian team Izhstal Izhevsk can be seen walking into the change room, gun in hand, legs spread, with a proud look on his face.
The coach cocks the Kalashnikov and gives a short speech before passing the AK-47 off to the captain, who in turn awards the MVP of the game, goalie Saveli Kononov.
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View on YouTubeKononov stopped 36 of 38 shots in his team’s 3-2 victory over Chelmet Chelyabinsk, reports Global News, leading their team to victory from the front of their goal. Their forward Vadim Shchegolkov also played well, with one goal and five shots.
All the boys seem euphoric over the small ceremony and the unusual ritual seems to be bolstering their comradery.
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