An AK-47 was awarded to the Player of the Game in the Russian Hockey League.
Izhstal Izhevsk goalkeeper Saveli Kononov stopped 36 shots out of 38 in a game against Chelmet. This resulted in a 3-2 victory and to come as an amusement to the supporters, an AK-47 was awarded to the Player of the Game.
The Russian International was handed out the AK-47 by a senior official inside the dressing room. Saveli’s teammates voted him as the Man of the Match and gifted this AK-47 as an out-of-the-box award!
Izhstal Izhevsk’s captain passed Kononov the weapon and he paraded with the gun before giving a rousing speech to his teammates.
The players seemed amused with the new gimmick. One player joked: “If we play poorly, they will shoot us.”
It’s unclear whether the gun is original or a replica.
In the past, the sport of ice hockey has seen NHL teams present strange rewards like barber shop capes, Broadway hats and even an Abraham Lincoln costume.
But, comparing all those prizes with the AK-47, Kononov’s award is simply a touch above the rest.
