Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko changes jersey to honor late father killed in bear attack, tell me about this news today

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko announced that he is switching his sweater number to 62 in tribute to his father, Alexander Kuzmenko, who died following a bear attack in Russia at age 62.

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Returning to Penguins practice after attending his father’s funeral in Moscow, Kuzmenko shared details about the tragic incident. His father had been on a fishing trip with friends in the Tyva region of Siberia when a bear attacked him from behind in the water. Kuzmenko explained that his father fought the animal for over an hour and initially survived for two days before succumbing to his injuries.

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Kuzmenko, who previously wore jersey No. 10, chose No. 62 both to commemorate his father’s age and because his mother was born in 1962. He noted that the loss was a massive shock to him and his family as he prepares to rejoin the lineup for Pittsburgh’s home opener against Montreal.

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