Siberian contract: how the Match of Stars of the KHL-2025 was held

The next KHL All-Star Game, held last weekend in Novosibirsk, drew more than 11,000 spectators. It once again became one of the main events in the league. People who came to the Sibir Arena saw a bright show with a lot of unusual numbers performed by the best hockey players of our championship.

High excitement

The week of hockey stars began on February 1, when the Youth Hockey League (MHL) Challenge Cup was held in Novosibirsk. It was attended by 10,300 people, which was a record in the history of the event. Not surprisingly, the KHL Stars Match, which wrapped up the Hockey Stars Week, attracted even more. Over the two days, more than 11 thousand people came to the stadium.

"Sibir Arena" was opened in the fall of 2023. Since then, it has confirmed its reputation as one of the most modern hockey facilities in Russia. Dozens of matches of the regular KHL championship have already been held here. And now the Match of Stars has also taken place.

The stadium bowl turned out to be extremely convenient for spectators, who not only could watch games and master shows from the stands - everyone had an opportunity to find entertainment in the stadium lobby, for example, in the brand zone of the Quick Payment System (QPS). It was visually similar to a space portal, which meant a reference to the stars in accordance with the name of the KHL event. In it, visitors could virtually play hockey, gaining points for scoring goals on a simulator while completing a series of challenges. Those who wished could also visit the SBP photo zone, taking memorable photos.

At the Match of Stars itself, as usual, the most interesting was the master show. Players competed in the original performance of shootouts, power shots and speed runs on the ice, as well as in the captains' and the most reliable goalie contests.

Many athletes thought up a special entourage for the show and prepared original costumes. Avangard players Nail Yakupov, Semyon Chistyakov and Damir Sharipzyanov were the brightest in this sense. During Yakupov's shootout, they dressed up in Mexican clothes and a matching hat. The penalty shot was also performed to Latin American music, and Nail also put on a poncho.

The players of Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod - goalie Ivan Bocharov and defenseman Bogdan Konyushkov - also performed in an original way. Ivan's son Lev stood in the goal for the shootout, and Konyushkov shot it softly, allowing the six-year-old to deflect the shot.

- "I'm glad I didn't score, because Lev at such a young age got a special pleasure to be without a missed puck on the shootout, and in front of tens of thousands of spectators," Konyushkov told Izvestia. - The club's press office came up with the idea, and Ivan and I immediately approved it. Already after the master show, we talked to Lev and saw that he is very happy about this event. Since he just recently started practicing hockey at the Torpedo school, I'm sure that this participation in the master show will motivate him to work harder.

Sochi hockey player Timur Khafizov shot the slowest shootout in history. He parodied the style of St. Petersburg SKA star Evgeny Kuznetsov, who often, when taking a penalty shot, drives slowly with the puck toward the goalie and takes a long time to get his stick around it, trying to confuse his opponent.

Interestingly, Hafizov came out for the shot wearing the jersey of Kuznetsov, who was originally on the All-Star Game roster but didn't go due to injury. Khafizov picked up speed, rolling out from behind the goal, and then abruptly stopped in front of the puck and started moving as slowly as possible - much slower than Kuznetsov does. On his way to the goal, Timur drank some water and talked to Bogdan Konyushkov. But he failed to break through Bocharov.

- "We had a game against SKA in the fall, when Kuznetsov started a little thrash-talk and provocations during the game," Khafizov told Izvestia. - And soon I managed to score a goal, which I celebrated in the style of Kuznetsov. And Evgeny then threw snow in my face on a throw-in. In the end, we resolved the situation normally with him, but now the club offered to play the story and sparodize his shootout. I was worried, because I had to portray the style of a great master, although I understood that Evgeni, being a man with a great sense of humor, would take it normally. And after the master show, his SKA partner Sasha Nikishin showed me the video Kuznetsov sent me of him giving a thumbs up.

Emotional reboot

In the semifinals, the Bobrov Division team beat the Tarasov Division (9:6), and the Chernyshev Division topped the Kharlamov Division (10:6). The third place match was taken by the Tarasov division (13:12). And the final was left to Chernyshev's division.

As usual, the hockey players noted that the Match of Stars was a good way for them to reset their emotions during a short pause in the middle of the season. As a reminder, the end of the regular season is just over a month and a half away.

- I'm glad I made it to the Match of Stars," Dmitry Silantyev, last year's Gagarin Cup winner and Metallurg Magnitogorsk forward, told Izvestia. - Terrific atmosphere both on the ice and in the stands. Special flavor in the form of original contests and very relaxed communication with other players and fans. It's great that the KHL constantly holds such competitions in different regions. Novosibirsk was a great host for the Match of Stars. I hope that in the coming years it will take Magnitogorsk.

According to KHL President Alexei Morozov, the league has not yet decided where the Match of Stars will be held next season. But did not rule out that it will be Omsk. In addition, there are options with Nizhny Novgorod and Yekaterinburg, which will soon open new arenas.