News & Events in Belarus

Christmas ice hockey tournament starts in Minsk

Christmas ice hockey tournament starts in Minsk

MINSK, 4 January (BelTA) – A traditional Christmas international amateur ice hockey tournament starts at Minsk hockey grounds on 4 January. The preparations for the tournament are almost over, Minister of Sports and Tourism of Belarus Oleg Kachan told a press conference at the Sports Palace on 3 January.

Taking part in the tournament will be amateur teams from Slovakia, Finland, Russia, Switzerland, Ukraine, Canada, and Germany. Belarus will be represented by the President’s hockey team.

All the teams have skilled players, according to Sergei Goncharov, Secretary General of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Association. For instance, Oleg Khmyl and Sergei Shitkovsky, who have recently retired from professional hockey, play for Belarus. Canada’s team also has former professionals such as Stephen Quintal and Darryl Shannon. Both of them played in a lot of NHL matches. Apart from retired athletes, Canada’s squad includes amateurs such as Graham Roustan, owner of Nike-Bauer Hockey and Roustan LTD. The Finnish squad includes Mika Kortelainen and Hannu Virta. Alexander Medvedev, President of the Kontinental Hockey League, will be the captain of the Russian team, the main rivals of Belarus.

The teams are drawn into two groups. Belarus, Ukraine, Switzerland, and Slovakia play in Group A. The matches will take place at the Sports Palace. Russia, Germany, Canada, and Finland play in Group B. The matches will be played at the hockey ground on Pritytskogo Street. The winners of the groups will qualify for the final. The second teams from each group will play in the third place match.

Belarus beat Russia (4-1) in the final match of the Christmas tournament in 2009. The bronze went to Finland.

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