HELSINKI/STOCKHOLM – Apart from the three Russian players (see previous news), there were four additional player registrations on Thursday.

Belarus added Dynamo Minsk forward Andrei Mikhalyov and has now two openings on the roster, which will be used for the Kostitsyn brothers. It will be the eighth straight World Championship for the 34-year-old.

Denmark registered defenceman Michael Eskesen of the Odense Bulldogs and can still add one more skater. The 25-year-old will play his second Worlds.

The Italian national team filled its roster by adding defenceman Roland Hofer, who plays for Peliitat Heinola, a club from Finland’s second-tier league Mestis.

The 21-year-old will play his first World Championship with the men’s national team. He had played for his hometown team Sterzing Broncos before moving to Finnish junior hockey at age 18.

Slovakia registered Julius Hudacek as third goalkeeper and has still one opening for a skater. The 23-year-old, who played this season for Swedish second-tier club Södertälje SK, has previously represented Slovakia only in one IIHF tournament, the 2008 U20 World Championship.

All four players have already been with their teams at the camp.