Coach stripped half-naked in wild Russian hockey bench brawl (Video)
Coaches losing their minds on the bench? Commonplace.
Coaches losing their shirts on the bench? Welcome to Russia!
The VHL, which is the Kontinental Hockey League’s highest minor league, featured a playoff series between THC and Izhstal. During the second period, THC coach Alex Zhdahin aggressively questioned the referee from the players’ benches, when coaches from Izhstal walked over to intrude on the discussion.
One of them made contact with the THC coach. He shoved back. And then Zhdahin and Izhstal head coach Andrei Razin really got into it.
A full-on brawl inside the benches began as the crowd roared. At one point, a Izhstal coach stole the helmet from the head of THC skater Artëm Ternavskij and threw it at his face. Ouch.
Meanwhile, Andrei Razin was flexing to the crowd as his shirt, tie and jacket were ripped off during the fight, while also sporting a cut about his left eye.
Things calmed down, leading to the surreal image of a half-naked coach discussing penalties with the game officials. (The video goes on for 11 minutes, but the real action is in about the first five.)
Later, Razin returned to the bench as the referees attempted to regain control of the game, and Razin attempted to regain his dignity: Putting on his tie and suit jacket, without a shirt on. Like he just stepped off the set of MAGIC MIKE:
"So sexy it hurrrrrrrts..."
Both teams were hit with 20 minutes in penalties, and it appears both coaches were ejected. Razin, for sure, did a shirtless-and-tie walk of shame back to the dressing room, including a playful little slide near the boards.
Izhstal won the game in overtime, 3-2.
Look, it’s our job to add these details, and by no means are we trying to continue to paint a negative picture about this particular NHL franchise…
… but Razin was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2001, although he never made it over from Russia.
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