Team of the President of the Republic of Belarus has started with a victory at the 7th Christmas International Amateur Ice Hockey Tournament for the prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus. Austria was defeated with a score of 10:5 in the Sports Palace.

Belarusian team started to disturb Austrian goalkeeper early in the first period. Thanks to the successful actions of the first two lineups hosts left the ice for the first break with a four-goal advantage. But the Austrians did not surrender and were able to reduce the gap to two goals. However, Belarusian team did not allow the opponents to get a chance for survival in that game. At the end the match 10 goals reached the net of Ionel Corciova, Andrei Astashevich made a hat-trick and got points (3 goals +2 asissts), and the President's team demonstrated that it was in good form at the start of the tournament.

Man of the Match Austria - Belarus were recognized: Sergey Shitkovsky (Team Belarus) and Konrad Dorn (Team Austria).

Teams of Ukraine and Russia started their match with caution. The first period was almost goalless, only once the puck found the way to the Ukrainian net. Russian team, as one of the favourites of the tournament, took the initiative and started to enjoy the fans not only with beautiful combinations, but with goals as well. 3:9 - in favour of Belarus eastern neighbors ended that "Slavic" derby at the Minsk Ice Palace on Pritytsky street.

Man of the Match Ukraine - Russia were recognized : Dmitro Pidgursky (Team Ukraine) and Igor Varitsky (Team Russia).

Today in the afternoon games will meet teams from Finland and Austria (Group "A"), and Slovakia vs Ukraine (Group "B"). Evening program will consist of the games Belarus - Germany (Group "A") and Russia - Switzerland (Group "B").

Organizers of the 7th Christmas International Tournament of Hockey Amateurs for the Prize of the President of the Republic of Belarus:

- Republican State and Public Association "President`s Sports Club"
- Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Belarus
- Belarus Ice Hockey Association
- Minsk City Executive Committee

The partners of the tournament are:
- Belarusian Potash Company
- Convex company
- Sport-pari

General sponsors of the championship:
- Company "BT Telecommunications" of the closed joint stock company "Beltechexport"
- Priorbank

General information partner:
- National State TeleRadioCompany of the Republic of Belarus.

Press office of the
Republican State and Public
Association "President`s Sports Club"