On Jan. 4, 1989, three years to the day after their tie with Moscow Dynamo, the Penguins hosted an exhibition against Central Red Army. Red Army was the major Russian attraction, having won the last 12 Soviet League championships. The game wasn't on local radio or television.
Penguins general manager Tony Esposito said the players wouldn't be paid for the game, but half the proceeds would go to the players' pension fund. Penguins player rep Jim Johnson said that the players association hadn't told him anything.
The Penguins weren't too excited. "It's just another game," was Mario Lemieux's thought. "Our season is long enough. All we want to do is try to play a good game, play a solid game, nobody gets hurt, and go from there. It doesn't really matter if we win or not."
To continue reading, log into your account:
