MINSK, 13 April (BelTA) – The Belarusian president’s team has won the Republican Hockey League, BelTA has learned.
On 13 April the head of state’s ice hockey team beat the Minsk Oblast team with a score of 10:8 (3:4, 6:1, 1:3) in the second match of the final series in Minsk-based Olympic Arena. The result of the first game was 5:2.
As in the first game of the final series a week ago, the score was opened by Minsk Oblast team: Artyom Kotkovets scored in the 3rd minute. Soon, the season’s top scorer Andrei Kostitsyn equalized and Andrei Bashko put the host team in the lead. In both cases, one of the assists was made by Aleksandr Lukashenko. In the middle of the period, Pavel Volchek scored the third goal. But in the last minute, within 15 seconds, Valery Pugach and Aleksandr Patsenkin scored two goals for the visiting team – 4:3. Immediately after the break, the hosts went on the attack with Pavel Volchek restoring the balance. The goals were scored by Oleg Antonenko, Aleksei Shantika (a hat-trick), and Yaroslav Chupris. Aleksandr Patsenkin scored his third goal for the visiting team. In the final third period, the scoring extravaganza continued. Aleksandr Patsenkin scored his fourth goal for the visiting team, and was followed by Maksim Slysh and Artur Abmetka. The tenth goal for the hosts was scored by Andrei Mikhalev
Aleksei Shantika and Vitaly Klimenkov were recognized the most valuable players of the match. The awards were presented by the famous Belarusian handball player, chairman of the Belarusian Tennis Federation Sergei Rutenko.
Bronze medals went to the Grodno Oblast team, who beat the Brest Oblast team 6:3.
The best scorer of the tournament was the forward of the presidential squad Andrei Kostitsyn, with 31 points (15 goals and 16 assists). Prizes were also awarded to goalkeeper Maksim Shchepko (Minsk Oblast), defenseman Aleksandr Kovshik (Grodno Oblast) and forward Artyom Karkotsky (president’s team). The awards were presented by the head of the Presidential Sports Club Dmitry Lukashenko.
The president’s team became a 15-time winner of the Republican Amateur Tournament, while ice hockey players of Gomel Oblast and Minsk Oblast have won the championship once each.
The organizers of the amateur hockey tournament are the Presidential Sports Club, the Ministry of Sports and Tourism and the Minsk City Executive Committee.
