Penza, 3 December 2011. PenzaNews. The solemn ceremony of opening of sport center “Diesel-arena” took place in Penza on Friday, on December, 2nd. In the beginning of the ceremony the governor of the Penza region Vasily Bochkarev, the plenipotentiary of the president of the Russian Federation in the Volga federal district Grigory Rapota, the president of the hockey federation of the country Vladislav Tretyak and the best pupils of school of hockey cut a symbolical ribbon.

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Then the hymn of Russia sounded in “Diesel-arena” for the first time. The symbolical key of the ice stadium was transferred to the head of hockey school Sergey Blohin.

According to the Internet edition “Penza-sport”, Vladislav Tretyak made the first throw-in on ice of new sport center, the player of the first team of Penza hockey club “Diesel” Vladimir Ivantsov and the pupil of school of hockey Ilya Ivantsov took part in it.

Governor Vasily Bochkarev thanked the builders of the ice stadium and admitted that now Penza has such comfortable sport centers like cities with population exceeding one million have.

Vladislav Tretyak, in his turn, also highly appreciated “Diesel-arena”.

Vladislav Tretyak said: “This is a fine construction. It is capacious, cozy and worthy. We plan to hold the international competitions in Penza, and it would be desirable, that Russian national team could play one of Euroround matches there”.

The match between the team “Legend of hockey of the USSR” and veterans of Penza “Diesel” became the culmination of the evening. There were well-known hockey players Alexander and Vladimir Golikovy, Vladimir Babashov, Alexander Yakushev, Yury Lyapkin and many others. The match came to the end in a draw — 8:8.