A mixed bag in Belarus

There were 11 HC SLOVAN players featured in Vladimir Vújtek’s roster for the two games in Zhlobin and Bobruisk, with each player getting game time. In the opening game, Slovakia ran out comfortable 3:0 winners, with Michel Miklík scoring the first goal in the 22nd minute, assisted by his club mate Mário Bližňák, while young forward Marko Daňo also picked up a secondary assist on the third Slovak goal. Along with these three, Vladimir Mihálik, Michal Sersen, Ivan Švarný, Peter Ölvecký, Roman Kukumberg and Libor Hudáček all wore the jersey with the dual cross in Zhlobin

Belarus - Slovakia 0:3 (0:0, 0:2, 0:1)

Goals: 22. Miklík (Bližňák, Sýkora), 35. Bartek, 56. Brejčák (Radivojevič, Marko Daňo).

Officials: Nalivaiko, Amosov - Deďuľa, Badyl, penalties: 3:7 (2 min), powerplay goals: 0:0, shorthanded goals: 0:0, 2100 divákov.

Rosters:
Belarus: Milčakov - Černook, Kaznadej, Filičkin, Goroško, Jeronov, Šinkevič, Misjul, Lisovec Meleško, Kitarov, Kulakov - Koľcov, Kovyršin, Ugarov - Stefanovič, Stas, Jefimenko - Solomonov, Drozd, Andrjuščenko
Slovakia: Staňa - Čerešňák, Mezei, Sersen, Vydarený, Mihálik, Švarný, Sloboda, Brejčák - Radivojevič, Stümpel, Surový - Bartek, Kukumberg, Hudáček - Miklík, Bližňák, Sýkora - Daňo, Ölvecký, Majdan

Jaroslav Janus started the second game for Slovakia, but unfortunately he could not prevent Belarus avenging the previous loss, as the home side took a 4:3 victory. Andrej Šťastný was given a chance to play in this game, but he could not get on the score sheet. However, his HC SLOVAN teammates featured, as in the final minute of the second period, Peter Ölvecký found the back of the net, before in the 56th minute Roman Kukumberg and Vladimir Mihálik combined, with the latter finding the back of the net as Slovakia rallied from 4:0 down to claw their way back to 4:3, but failed to take the game to overtime.

Belarus - Slovakia 4:3 (2:0, 1:1, 1:2)

Goals: 17. Andriuščenko (Šinkevič, Kovyršin), 19. Demkov (Kislyj, Filičkin), 24. Andriuščenko (Kislyj), 49. Kulakov (Černook, Jefimenko) - 40. Ölvecký (Bartek), 44. Stümpel (Mezei), 56. V. Mihálik (Kukumberg)

Penalties: 5:6 (2 min), powerplay goals: 3:2, shorthanded goals: 0:0, officials: Proskurov, Nalivajko - Koleda, Goliak, attendance: 5860

Rosters:
Belarus:  Belinskij - Černook, Kaznadej, O. Goroško, Filičkin, Šinkevič, Jeronov, Lisovec - Kulakov, Kitarov, Meleško - Ugarov, Kovyršin, Konstantin Koľcov - Dadonov, A. Stas, Jefimenko - Kislyj, Solomonov, Andriuščenko - Demkov 
Slovakia:  Janus - Čerešňák, Mezei, Sersen, Vydarený, V. Mihálik, Švarný, K. Sloboda, J. Brejčák - Radivojevič, Stümpel, Surový - Bartek, Kukumberg, Ölvecký - Michel Miklík, Bližňák, Ján Sýkora - Vandas, Andrej Šťastný, Marko Daňo - Majdan

Next on tap is a match on Thursday in Prague, before the team returns to Slovakia, to play in the return match against the Czechs at the Slovnaft Arena on 20.04.2013.