On Monday, a new Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey team went to the ice for the first time since the terrible plane crash in September 2011 that wiped out the entire team and coaches.

      The team assembled of youth Lokomotiv players and and loans from other clubs, played its first match with Neftyanik Almetyevsk team, within the Major Hockey League.

      The two teams met at the Yaroslavl "Arena-2000" stadium , all 9000 seats were taken. Before the beginning of the match, hockey players and watchers honoured the memory of the perished sportsmen. A special video tribute was projected onto the ice before the game, including the slogans “We will remember” and “We will triumph,” eliciting tears among all present. Then it was followed by a minute's silence.

      The new team had a really excellent game, beating their more experienced opponents 5-1. This season the Lokomotiv team plans to take part in the Major Hockey League. The club even rejected the league’s offer to get a guaranteed playoff spot this season. In 2012/2013 Lokomotiv plans to return to the Continental Hockey League.

      The Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team was killed on route to their opening game in Minsk. 45 people died when their Yak-42 jet crashed just after take-off from Yaroslavl. 

Sources: RIA Novosti Lenta.ru Image: yaroslavl-rfn 

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