News & Events in Belarus

9,200 spectators filled Chizhovka Arena that was built as second venue of the 2014 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The hosts scored two quick goals within 94 seconds. Captain Maxim Sushko capitalized on a breakaway and set up Igor Martynov’s 1-0 goal. At 4:48 a great shot of Ilya Litvinov went into the net to make it a two-goal lead. But before the first intermission Niklas Postel used his chance one-on-one in front of the goalie to cut the lead.

Both teams had a lot of traffic around the goal crease in the second frame. Yuri Faikov’s men restored the two-goal advantage on the 3^rd minute into the second. However, they failed to hold it allowing two goals in a row.

Sergei Pishuk entered the third period with a goal at 4:01 and with 1:48 left in regulation time Igor Martynov scored his second goal of the night to seal the win for Belarus.

The final standings as we follows: Belarus – 12 points (5 games played), Germany – 11 (5), Kazakhstan – 9 (5), France – 6 (5), Norway – 4 (5), Austria – 3 (5).

The Belarusian U18 national team moved up to the top division for the first time since 2010. The tournament was held in Minsk and Bobruisk. Six years ago the hosts could not stay in the IIHF junior top division. The best result the Belarusian U18 team reached was in 2002 when Belarus finished 5^th at the world sport forum in Slovakia.