MINSK, 15 February (BelTA) - The ice hockey team of the President of Belarus scored its fifth win in the regular season of the Republican Hockey League (RHL), BelTA learned.
The president’s team defeated the team of Minsk Oblast 3-2 (1-0, 1-2, 1-0) in a match at the Olympic Arena in Minsk on 15 February.
Both teams had four wins before the match. The score was opened on 12th minute of the starting period, when Aleksei Efimenko sent the puck into the visitors' goals after passes from Nikolai Lukashenko and Artem Karkotsky. At the beginning of the second period Aleksandr Kudryavtsev equalized the result, then Maksim Parfeevets, using an accurate pass from Nikolai Lukashenko, again put the hosts ahead, but shortly before the second break Nikita Drozdov restored parity 2-2. In the final period the hockey players of Minsk Oblast had a very hard time having two players suspended at once but managed to withstand the attacks of their opponents for four minutes. However, the team of the head of state still managed to pull out a victory - just under 3 minutes before the end of the match the game-winning goal was scored by Aleksei Efimenko, who was recognized MVP of the home team. Goalkeeper Maksim Shchepko was recognized MVP of the visiting team. The awards were presented by Ihar Boky, multiple Paralympic champion in swimming.
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), and the team of Brest Oblast in Minsk (8-2). After four matches played, the Belarus President’s team goes with eight points. The team’s top scorer is Andrei Kostitsyn, with 14 points (four goals and ten 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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