Nikolai Puchkov

Nikolai Georgijewitsch Puchkov (Russian Николай Георгиевич Пучков; born January 30, 1930 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, † August 8, 2005 in Saint Petersburg ) was a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender and coach. He played for WWS MWO Moscow and the HK CSKA Moscow.

Career

Puchkov began his career at WWS MWO Moscow, for which he initially ran aground as a soccer goalkeeper and completed until 1952 21 games. From 1950 he was laid to hockey squad of the club and won with this until its dissolution in 1953 three Soviet titles. After that, he was delegated to CSKA Moscow, where he played until 1963 and won six more titles. Overall, he completed 220 league games in the highest Soviet league.

Puchkov was the first goalkeeper of the Soviet national team that won the gold medal in their debut at the World Ice Hockey Championships in 1954. Two years later, in 1956, was Puchkov Olympic champion in Cortina d' Ampezzo. Until 1960 he won three more silver medals at world championships before 1963 his international career ended. Overall, he was in 90 internationals on the ice.

After ending his playing career Puchkov worked as a coach. Between 1973 and 1974 he was assistant coach Vsevolod Bobrov in Sbornaja and looked after them at the World Championships in 1973 and 1974.

Between 1963 and 1980, and in the 2001/ 02 season, he was responsible for the SKA Leningrad, with the it with the third place in the Soviet Cup in 1971 achieved the greatest success of the club's history. He also won with SKA 1970 and 1971 Spengler Cup. Between 1980 and 1990 he was head coach of Ischorez Leningrad.

From 2002 until his death worked Puchkov at youth level and the Sports School of the SKA Saint Petersburg. Puchkov died at the age of 75 and was buried at the North Cemetery in Saint Petersburg. In 2007, he founded the school for hockey goalies, which bears the name Nikolai Georgijewitsch Puchkov.