STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Good morning. I'm Steve Inskeep. Vladimir Putin is known for his love of sports. So it was no surprise to see Russia's president suit up for hockey with Russian NHL All-Stars nor was it really a surprise that Putin's team won. It could hardly have been otherwise. The game was like that "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer dominates a kids karate class. Putin's All-Star team played school kids and triumphed 9 to 5. The president of Russia scored twice. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.