Penguins' Andrei Kuzmenko takes leave from team after father is killed by a bear in Russia

According to Russian network REN TV , Alexander Kuzmenko was on a fishing trip with six other people in Siberia when he was attacked by a bear. He was reportedly bitten in the head and suffered severe facial injuries.

The dense forest along the Krasnaya River reportedly caused a delay in ambulances being able to reach the 62-year-old hockey coach. The group was able to get the bear away from the area before Kuzmenko was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Kyzyl where he was later pronounced dead.

Andrei Kuzmenko practiced with the Penguins on Thursday morning before departing to Russia.