January 16, 2000

Markov Closes in on Record

Twenty-one year old Montreal's draftee Andrei Markov gives no indication of slowing down. In the first two games of the new millennium he demonstrated some exceptionally playmaking. On January 6, in a game against Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk, he collected 4 points (1 goal and 3 assists). Even very experienced former Montreal goaltender Andre Racicot couldn’t stop his bullet shot. The next day, Andrei was a success once again when he scored his tenth goal of the 1999/2000 championships in the game against AkBars Kazan. It was a nice, accurate slapshot from the blue line.

So now Markov leads all defensemen in points. Moreover he is ninth among all the scorers of the Russian Superleague with 10 goals and 11 assists in 25 games played!

He is close to breaking the record of two-time Stanley Cup champion Vyacheslav Fetisov, who was the only defensemen among the top 10 scorers of the championships at the end of the season.

Denis Neznanov
HockeyZone's Russian Correspondent