NHL player takes leave of absence after father killed in bear attack

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Andrei Kuzmenko is taking a leave of absence after reports that his father, Alexander Kuzmenko, was killed in a bear attack in Russia. Russian network Ren TV, which first reported the incident, said the 62-year-old was attacked by a bear that emerged from a forest along the Krasnaya River in the Tuva Republic. He was bitten near his head and suffered severe tissue damage. The group of seven on the fishing trip was unable to get help quickly because of the dense surrounding forest; Alexander was transported for four hours, then airlifted to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Kuzmenko, entering his first Penguins season after a one-year, $5 million contract, had practiced with teammates before returning to Russia.