MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) - The hockey team of the President of Belarus secured its sixth victory in the regular season of the Republican Hockey League (RHL) on 22 February, BelTA has learned.
Today the Belarus President’s team defeated the Mogilev Oblast team 8-7 (4-2, 3-1, 1-4) at the Olympic Arena in Minsk.
The tournament leaders kicked off the final match of the first stage on a high note to immediately seize the initiative. Aleksei Shantyka opened the scoring five minutes into the game getting assists from Nikolai Lukashenko and Maksim Parfeyevets. Andrei Antonov soon doubled the advantage, and Aleksei Shantyka scored his second of the game. The Mogilev Oblast team needed a little bit of time to find their skating legs and finally got on the scoreboard thanks to Nikita Somov. Soon after, Andrei Kostitsyn, assisted by Aleksandr Lukashenko and Andrei Bashko, was fast enough to send home his fifth goal of this tournament. Leonid Olkhovsky scored back another one just before the first break. Sergei Zubarev narrowed the gap to a minimum at the start of the second stanza. This success, however, was a short-lived one as Pavel Volchek scored twice in a row, and Maksim Parfeyevets made it 7-3. The Mogilev Oblast team succeeded in erasing the deficit three minutes before the final hooter. Nikita Somov scored two more. Matvei Vinkevich and Andrei Savchenko added a goal each. It was Oleg Antonenko, however, who scored the winner for the Belarus President’s team to celebrate an 8-7 victory.
Today's MVPs are Maksim Parfeyevets and Nikita Somov. They got prizes from Inna Zhukova, silver medalist of the Olympic Games, many-time medalist of world and European championships in rhythmic gymnastics.
Traditionally, numerous fans enjoyed spectacular musical acts, took part in contests on the ice, and received soft toys from the Belarus President’s team.
In the first round, the Belarus President’s team defeated the team of Grodno Oblast in Minsk (10-3), the team of Gomel Oblast in Zhlobin (5-2), the team of Brest Oblast in Minsk (8-2), the team of Vitebsk Oblast in Minsk (10-4) and Minsk Oblast in Minsk (3-2). After six matches played, the Belarus President’s team goes with 12 points. The team’s top scorer is Andrei Kostitsyn, with 16 points (five goals and 11 assists).
In the final series of the previous edition the Belarus President’s team defeated the team of Minsk Oblast twice – 5-2 and 10-8 to win the event for the 15th time. The teams of Gomel Oblast and Minsk Oblast won the tournament once each.
The amateur ice hockey tournament is organized by the Presidential Sports Club, the Sport and Tourism Ministry and the Minsk City Hall.
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