MINSK, 4 January (BelTA) – The Belarus President Team defeated the team of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) (13:7) at the first match of the 15th Christmas Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament in Minsk, BelTA has learned.
This A Group match on the big ice rink of the Chizhovka Arena sports complex was pretty tough. The IIHF Team featured a great number of experienced players who now hold executive positions at national ice hockey federations. At the start of the game Maxim Slysh of the IIHF Team opened the score. However the Belarus President Team scored in response and soon the score was 1:2. At the end of the opening period Alexander Lukashenko made an assist to Daniel Corso who hit the gate to make the score 2:2.
After a break the Belarus President Team maintained momentum. The most efficient players were Daniel Corso of the Belarus President Team and Artem Antonenko and Maxim Antonenko of the IIHF Team. They are the sons of famous Belarusian forward Oleg Antonenko.
In the third period the hosts remained dominant on the ice rink. The 12th score was made by Alexander Lukashenko. All in all, the Belarusian head of state had one goal and three assists.
Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer of the IIHF Team scored three times and became one of the stars of the game. The final score was 13:7 for the Belarus President Team.
IIHF Council Member and long-time player Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer was named the best player of her team. Daniel Corso was named the best player of the Belarus President Team.
Prizes of the President's Sports Club were presented to the best players by Sports and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk.
Apart from that, Zsuzsanna Kolbenheyer and Daniel Corso received special prizes from Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko.
After the match the teams made a traditional photo and fans were given stuffed toys.
The Belarus President Team will play their second match against Baltics Team starring former NHL player from Lithuania Dainius Zubrus.
Three more matches were played during the first day of the tournament. Finland defeated Germany (10:2), Slovakia beat Switzerland (10:4), while UAE Team defeated Balkans Team (9:5).
The Belarus President Team has won the Christmas tournament 11 times (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018). Team Russia is a three-time champion (2007, 2011 and 2015).
