Danis Zaripov, Russian striker of Ak Bars hockey club, completed his professional career.
In the regular season match played in the Continental Hockey League (KHL) the previous day, Ak Bars lost to Metallurg with a score of 3:6. After the end of the match, Zaripov gave a round of honor and applauded the fans. The hockey player gave the stick he played in his last match to the young fan.
Zaripov is the only player to win five Gagarin Cups. He won three trophies with Ak Bars. Zaripov twice lifted the main trophy of the KHL as part of Metallurg. Zaripov played 817 matches in the KHL, where he managed to score 292 goals and make 393 assists.
Alois Gadamczyk, former president of the Czech Ice Hockey Federation criticized Petersburg SKA striker Dmitry Yashkin for supporting the action and playing in military uniform in honor of the Day of Defender of the Fatherland in the regular season match of the KHL against Sochi (6:5 Overtime).