Bodunov died yesterday and no official cause has been given.

The highlight of his international career came in game three of the 1972 Summit Series against Canada in Winnipeg.

The 20-year-old played as a forward alongside teammates Vyacheslav Anisin and Yuri Lebedev.

When the Soviets fell behind 4-2, coach Vsevelod Bobrov introduced the trio, who went on to change the course of the match.

Lebedev made it 4-3 before Bodunov tied the game after 18 minutes in the second period as the match went on to finish as a draw.

Leading by three wins to one, the Soviets eventually lost the series 4-3 with one game tied.

In his club career, Bodunov played for CSKA Moscow between 1969 and 1970 as well as Spartak Moscow from 1979 to 1981.

He also represented the Soviets at the 1973 and 1974 World Championship in Moscow and Helsinki respectively, winning a gold medal on both occasions.

In 1974 Bodunov once again competed in the Summit series.

The Soviet Union won the series overall with four victories to Canada's three.

Bodunov retired in 1982 and later went into coaching, most recently in 2009 with Vityaz Chekhov, based in Podolsk just outside of Moscow.