Boris Aleksandrov (ice hockey)

Career

Boris Alexandrov won gold medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship in 1974 and 1975 while representing the Soviet Union. He played 19 games for the Soviet national team during the 1976 season, scoring four goals and winning an Olympic gold medal, and also participated in the 1976 Canada Cup. On New Year's Eve 1975, he scored a third-period goal in a 3–3 tie between CSKA Moscow and the Montreal Canadiens during Super Series '76, a game ranked as the 23rd greatest hockey story by the IIHF. Despite his talent, Alexandrov was removed from the national team because coaches considered him too individualistic, and disagreements with Viktor Tikhonov over discipline were also a factor. His reputation suffered after he cross-checked Spartak's Valentin Gureev from behind in February 1977, causing a severe concussion. Alexandrov began his club career with Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk in 1972, then joined CSKA Moscow in 1973, winning three Soviet Championship titles (1975, 1977, 1978) and three IIHF European Cup titles (1974, 1976, 1978). After leaving CSKA in 1978, he played one season with SKA MVO Moscow, then Spartak Moscow from 1980 to 1982, where he was named to the best line at the Soviet Championships in 1980. He returned to Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk from 1982 to 1989, then spent two seasons with HC Milano Saima and Alisa Moscow. He ended his playing career with Torpedo Ust-Kamenogorsk from 1994 to 1996, and at age 40 played four games for the Kazakhstan national team in 1995, scoring two goals. Over his 22-season career, he scored 602 goals.