CSKA defender Yegor Zamula answered journalists' questions after the victory over Avtomobilist.
– We didn’t have a very good start to the first period because we couldn’t score and dropped the initiative to Avtomobilist, which is probably why we gave up the first goal. We came out for the second period with a different mindset. We knew their weaknesses, so we tried to push the pace, put more pucks on net, and create more traffic in front. And we played well in the third period too – scored on the power play and killed off the penalty. The main thing is that we won.
– It was one of the most action-packed games of the Mayor's Cup today. What made them tough to play against?
– We focused mostly on taking short, disciplined shifts, especially in the second period, locking down the neutral zone, and playing tighter in our own end. Basically, we knew their game plan, and with every shift, all the guys kept stepping up. That's why we won today.
– After scoring a goal, you had a slight smile. "What went through your mind at that moment? –
I haven’t played since about mid-April, plus my parents are in the stands." We needed this win. Losing two in a row just wasn't an option for us. We’ve got one more short training cycle ahead and the season is right around the corner, so we wanted to build some confidence for ourselves and the team. Thank God we won.
– How's the new squad looking?
– Всё идеально. I knew all the guys. The general manager and president of the club retained the core team and recruited new players to strengthen it. Lord willing, we really bolster the lineup.
– How tough was it starting the preseason early, considering North American camps kick off later?
– I haven’t played in Russia for ten years – neither in the junior league, nor in the VHL, nor in the KHL. So everything is new for me. I got used to it every day. The coaching staff gave great feedback, and the boys had my back and kept supporting me. I’m a quick study on the ice, so I caught on right away. We’ve still got some breakdowns, but we’re cleaning it up. Getting better every day, waiting for the season. I just want to play already instead of practicing, so it’s great that we put up five goals today. Still room for improvement.
– Igor Valerievich has a unique system. How tough is it to buy into his system?
– Hockey is hockey everywhere. The main thing is to understand the coach and his ideas – to defend correctly and get out of the zone. We need to clean up these details to be 100% ready for the season. I’ve learned so much during this pre-season – stuff they didn’t even show me back in North America. Dmitry Yushkevich work with defender on a daily basis; we review game tape, so I’ve learned a ton of new things and it’s been an eye-opener.
