President of Belarus’ hockey team won at the start of national tournament
The ice hockey team of the President of Belarus has victoriously started in the 16th National Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the Prizes of the President’s Sports Club, BelTA reports
On October 22nd, the hosts defeated ice hockey players of the Vitebsk Region – 8:4 (2:1, 2:1, 4:2) – on the ice of Minsk’s Olympic Arena.
The first goal of the new season was scored by Vitebsk striker Igor Voroshilov in the 7th minute when his team was playing in the minority. Trying to catch up, the hosts rushed to recoup, conducted many dangerous attacks, and after 10 minutes Aleksei Baranov equalised the score, and 18 seconds before the break, Nikolai Lukashenko scored the second goal. After the break, the ice squad of the Head of State had a great advantage, but only in the middle of the second period, Andrei Bashko managed to hit the opponents’ goal for the third time. Immediately, Andrey Moroz reduced the gap to a minimum, and then Andrei Kostitsyn – the debutant of the Presidential team – again increased the gap to two goals, bringing the score to 4:2. In the final third of the match, Andrei Kostitsyn scored his second goal, Artem Karkotsky also scored a double, and Artem Antonenko scored another goal. The guests responded with precise shots by Igor Kovalenya and Andrey Moroz.
The best players of the meeting were Vitebsk squad goalkeeper Yegor Shukhto and the striker of the President’s team Maksim Parfeevets. The prizes were presented to them by Belarus’ Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk.
As is traditional, during the breaks of the hockey match, the audience saw the performances of Belarusian pop singers. Moreover, the most active fans took part in contests directly on the ice, the winners of which were awarded prizes from the President’s Sports Club. Other fans were not left without gifts either: immediately after the game they received dozens of toys from the President’s team players.
The first stage of the tournament will complete in March 2023, after which the top four will continue to fight for awards in the playoff matches.
The ice hockey team of the President is a 13-time winner of these competitions, with hockey players from the Gomel and Minsk regions also claiming one title each.
The national amateur ice hockey competitions are organised by the Presidential Sports Club, the Sports and Tourism Ministry, and the Minsk City Executive Committee.
