Novopolotsk ice hockey school to receive Br25 million for Andrei Kostitsyn's winning goal against Austria

May 6, Minsk /BELTA/. The Specialized Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve of the "Khimik" ice hockey club from Novopolotsk will receive Br25 million from the Presidential Sports Club for the winning goal scored by Belarusian national team forward Andrei Kostitsyn in the match against Austria in the opening game of the tournament to retain a place in the elite division of the World Championship, which is taking place in Bratislava and Kosice, Slovakia, reports a BELTA correspondent. As part of the project, launched in 2010 at the previous World Championship in Germany, the Presidential Sports Club grants each player of the Belarusian national team who scores a winning goal, as well as the goaltender who achieves a shutout, the right to designate a youth ice hockey school that will receive gratuitous assistance in the amount of Br25 million to strengthen its material and technical base and organize sports events. On May 5, after a long-awaited 7-2 victory over the Austrians, which was the first for Belarus at the current World Championship, the scorer of the third, decisive goal, Andrei Kostitsyn, quite predictably chose the Specialized Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve of the "Khimik" ice hockey club (Novopolotsk) as the recipient. "I choose Novopolotsk. I grew up there, my coaches are there, they raised me as a hockey player. Now they are raising kids. I will give this money to them. Let it go towards uniforms and sticks," said the Belarusian national team forward, who just a week ago was competing for the Stanley Cup as part of the Canadian "Montreal," in an interview with the press service of the Presidential Sports Club. At the current World Championship, the players of the Belarusian national team will have two more opportunities to help children's hockey and, at the same time, retain their place in the elite division of the World Championship. On May 7, in Kosice, Belarus will play against Latvia (starting at 13:15 Minsk time), and on May 8, in Bratislava, against Slovenia (21:15). All of our team's matches will be broadcast live by Belteleradiocompany. Tournament standings: Belarus - 3 points (after 1 match; goal difference 7-2), Slovenia - 3 (1; 5-2), Latvia - 0 (1; 2-5), Austria - 0 (1; 2-7). The two worst teams will leave the elite division. -0-