Alexander Ragulin, 63; Soviet Hockey Standout, Three-Time Olympian

Alexander Ragulin, 63, a defenseman on the Soviet hockey teams of the 1960s and 1970s and a three-time Olympic champion, died Wednesday in Russia. The cause of death was not reported.

Ragulin and his brothers, twins Mikhail and Anatoly, were leading figures in Soviet hockey for several decades.

Alexander Ragulin started his 11-year career with CSKA Moscow, a sports club, in 1962. He scored 63 goals in 427 games and led the club to nine Soviet national championships.

Ragulin won Olympic gold medals with the Soviet teams in 1964, 1968 and 1972. He also helped lead Soviet teams to 10 world championship titles and was named top defenseman in three of them.

Ragulin was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1997.