Press releases

Team Russia beat the Belarusian President's Team 2:0 (1:0, 1:0, 0:0) to win the main prize of the tournament. Team Russia was the tournament’s champion in 2007 and 2011.

Famous forward Aleksei Yashin put the Russian team in the lead at 15th with the world champion 1993 Igor Varitsky making it 2:0 on a power play early in the second. Belarus could not break the Russian defense when playing four minutes on a power play. In the third the Russian players tried to deny any chance to the Belarusians to score. Goalkeeper Andrei Malkov (Russia) and forward Stepan Ponomarev (President’s team) were named best players of the final match.

In the preliminary round of the 11th Christmas tournament the finalists secured three wins. Belarus defeated Slovakia 5:1, the United Arab Emirates 12:4, and Switzerland 12:2. Team Russia beat Finland 5:4, Germany 12:0 and Latvia 11:3.

Finland defeated Slovakia 8:6 (3:2, 2:2, 3:2) to claim the bronze medals of the Christmas ice hockey tournament. Finland is the six-time bronze medalist of the Minsk Christmas tournament: in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014.

The team of the President of Belarus is the eight-time winner of the Christmas international tournament (2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014). Team Russia is a two-time champion (2007 and 2011).

The organizers of the event are the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation (BIHF), the Minsk City Hall and the President's Sports Club. The partners of the tournament include the Velcom and Chistyi Bereg companies, Belarusian Potash Company, Belneftekhim and Belarusbank. The Belarusian TV and Radio Company is the information partner.