The teams' head coaches summed up the game.
– The guys showed both character and game discipline Getting ready for the next game.
– How satisfied are you with the team's defensive performance and overall performance? Is this the kind of hockey you want to see from them throughout the season or is there still room for improvement?
– Our stands are full, people are coming, people like the unpredictability of the game. I would like stability, but this is something that can be developed; it is a sign of mastery. And it's not just about stickhandling, but also skates. Also, mastery in a global sense – in stress resistance, in understanding the game moment, the game time on the scoreboard.
– Yegor Fateyev left the team. Has he got over from his injury?
– God willing, his career continues. Because a hockey player essentially sells his health. That's why, I wish him good health and that he continues to play hockey.
– The team progress toward your system, where are they now? And did the training camp that took place during the championship break help in any way?
– During this period we had the opportunity to work with young people. Because there were 6-7 players missing from the training camp. Plus the guys switched over and changed the environment. We have daily work, and this, by the way, is the most difficult thing for any person and hockey player – to meet the level and requirements every day. Not everyone can do it, and not everyone is given the opportunity to do it.
– Your colleague Dmitry Kvartalnov played his 1000th game in the KHL. How could you congratulate him?
– As soon as it was over, I texted him on the spot and congratulated him. We recently saw each other in Yaroslavl, crossed paths between our matches, and talked for a long time. Respect for his loyalty, for his character, for the family that supports him.
– How would you rate Dmitry Vyacheslavovich's influence on Russian hockey?
- He is a fundamental, characterful and honest coach. I was lucky to work with him, I am very grateful to fate that it brought us together, and I am grateful to him. We keep in touch and remain friends. The numbers are recognition of his professionalism.
– A tough game. In principle, we expected it to be like this – that it would be sticky, that the opponent would play quite disciplined defense. It was necessary to break through somehow. We need this one to go our way. Playing with the majority for so long, and without creating any chances. This is probably what we lacked today.
– If we take the last games, then in most of them there was a lot of control, but not much sharpness. – What comes to it?
– Frankly, I don’t know yet. You know, I'll probably go out and control the puck at my age, but it has to come down to a threat, and in the previous game with the Shanghai, we only made one shot in five minutes, if I'm not mistaken, and today we made two shots in five minutes. You know, if we squander moments like the power play, it won't lead to anything good. This is up to all players who take to the ice. They must understand that they are the lifeblood of the entire team, especially when playing against an opponent like CSKA. And with any team, a goal in the majority gives a breath of fresh air. Until we develop anger and focus on the power play, there will be no goals.
– Today our defense allowed goals that we shouldn't have allowed. And in general they allowed CSKA to get into the goal. Do you have any explanation as to why the guys make it so easy to do this?
- As a coach I'd say that it’s communication between the players, like incorrect positioning of the players, incorrect commands they give to their partners. But the biggest problem today was that our CSKA players were trying to get through the near post. This is unacceptable. These are the kinds of things we need to focus on going forward. Today, I think there was a poor defensive play, specifically in terms of positioning and communication between the players.
– Perhaps it would have made sense to challenge the second goal. Why didn't you do this?
– We have a team that sits at the top and reviews the moments, but we haven’t received any orders from them. If it was 50/50, I would take it. But I didn't have such a team.
– Don't you think that the power play has changed somehow after the changes in the coaching staff? Or are you just lacking ideas?
- I don’t want to emphasize that the coaching staff has changed. The point is different. There are schemes, we play out all sorts of variations. Now Oleg Kvasha is responsible for the majority, plus Alexander Barkov has appeared. They'll get to it now. Let's see how this will play. I hope the situation will improve.
– Both today's game and against Shanghai looked like there was exhaustion.
- For us, it’s not so much exhaustion. We had a lot of sick guys who missed games. It is clear that some of the guys only had one training session after their illness. There is someone after an injury. Still, it's a loss of playing spirit, and some guys haven't fully got over yet. But this is not an excuse, I’m just telling it like it is.
- You once said that Andrei Mironov's power plays and windmills energize the team. Don't you think today when Sobolev was out with several blocks while shorthanded should have had a different impact on the entire team's mood?
– I agree with you, I told the players this after the second period. Moments like these should get the team going, but it didn't work.
– Spartak goes into the New Year break in eighth place. What will you, as a coach, tell the guys?
–It's a secret. We'll talk tomorrow, and I'll tell them everything.
