Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk hosted the inauguration of the Kristall Ice Palace built under the auspices of Gazprom.

Taking part in the inauguration ceremony were Konstantin Stroganov, Acting Governor of the Sakhalin Region, Alexander Poleshchuk, Deputy Plenipotentiary Envoy of the Russian President to the Far Eastern Federal District, Vladimir Kozlov, Director of Gazprom’s Representative Office in the Sakhalin Region as well as Members of the Russian Federation State Duma: Svetlana Zhurova, Olympic champion in speed skating and Vladislav Tretyak, three-time Olympic champion.

The Kristall Ice Palace comprises a 60 by 30 meter ice arena, a grandstand admitting 1,526 spectators, aerobic halls and multi-purpose sports halls. Kristall is designed for holding ice shows and concerts.

A super match between the Sakhalin Region team and the Hockey Legends team was dedicated to the Kristall inauguration. The Sakhalin team consisted of the A league players of the Sakhalin Amateur Hockey League and the recent trainees of the Sports against Backstreets neighborhood tournament. The visiting team was represented by the legends of Russian and international hockey: the players of the legendary USSR-Canada Super Series of 1972 and 1974 – Alexander Yakushev, Yury Lyapkin, Alexander Gusev, Yury Shatalov, Viktor Shalimov, Alexander and Vladimir Golikov, Sergey Mylnikov and Sergey Makarov.