CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko is changing his jersey number to 62 to honor his father, Alexander, who died in a bear attack in Russia last week at age 62.
Kuzmenko, who used to wear No. 10, returned to practice with the Penguins on Friday for the first time since returning from his father's funeral in Moscow. In explaining the significance of his new jersey number, he also noted that his mother was born in 1962.
Kuzmenko said Friday that his father's death was a "big shock." Russian news outlet Ren.tv. reported last week that Alexander was killed by a bear during a fishing trip last week in the Tyva section of Siberia. He suffered extensive tissue damage after being bitten in the head by the animal, which emerged from a nearby wooded area.
According to the report, Alexander was airlifted to a hospital in Tuva Republic's capital, Kyzyl, but medical interventions were unsuccessful and he was later pronounced dead.
Pittsburgh plays Montreal in its home opener Saturday.
ESPN's Kristen Shilton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
