CSKA head coach Igor Nikitin summed up the team's victory in St. Petersburg:
– We played two good periods, but I didn't like the third – we just stopped." Gritty win. Glad we got it. Keep it up further.
– After the defeat, you said you expected the right reaction from the team. Does victory mean that the reaction was the right one? And in general, what kind of reaction are you expecting, how does it show?
– Victory is a consequence. The result of the efforts the guys are making on themselves. That is why we were waiting for them. For two periods, I think the boys were really grinding it out. They lost focus early in the third, giving the opponent a chance to get back into the game. But this is a game. We need to respond the right way here and take the third period.
– Two completely different games between this one and the match in Moscow. Was it just a matter of adjustments with them bringing in a new coach, or did you change up your approach for tonight's game as well?
– Every game is different. This isn’t a computer, after all – it’s a human being. So we’re not looking back, we’re just taking it one game at a time.
– Privalov picked up his first KHL point in kind of a bizarre way. It was a blessing in disguise, especially with him stepping into Denis Gurianov’s spot on that line. And how much more will this goal loose his play?
– Why, he wasn’t playing tight. This is grown-up hockey. His job isn't to score goals, it's just to make the lineup. If we build on that, the scoring chances will come. He made the lineup today, got his chance, and buried it. We’re getting his head in the game for this. The further up you go, the tougher the competition gets. Stout defensemen will likely limit his chances. That’s why he needs to be a reliable two-way player who can generate offense and finish in tight spaces.
– What’s the latest on Gurianov? I mean, he made it back to the bench without any trouble after his only shift.
– Everything is fine. Dan spun the wheels, just like the rest of the boys. I think everything will be fine.
– Marat Khairullin returned to St. Petersburg today, rocking a CSKA jersey. How would you rate his performance today? Are you generally satisfied with his performance, considering he's on a seven-game goal drought?
– To be honest, we don’t really pay attention to it. Team success comes first. He’s a mature guy, he motivates himself. He's a smart, he gets it. There are coaches who work with him on specific individual details.
– The teams have already played 18–19 matches. How would you assess this initial stretch for CSKA? Are you guys happy with where you're at in the standings and your point total right now? Do you even have a plan?
– Honestly, I don't even know where we are in the standings. It’s not like we don’t care. Work has taught me that the quality of our play and the guys' effort are what give us a shot come springtime. You have to earn those points. That’s why we just focus on the process.
– How much of a wake-up call was that blowout loss in the last game heading into tonight? We played in a highly systematic way today – very precise.
For a real competitor, that’s a spark. That’s why we said it needs to be a positive for us. All comes down to reaction time. The guys had a great response today. Pride is always on the line. That loss definitely stung.
When you're on a 12-game point streak and just steamrolling, to what extent do you feel, in the locker room, that the fear of your opponent begins to fade?
– We’re only human. When it comes to the playoffs, you can't just count on a 12-game win streak. A fairy tale is nice and all, but we need to stay grounded in reality.
–Today, the fans asked me: how come Poltapov and Khairullin, who are leading CSKA in scoring, are buried on the third line? Could you explain how these decisions are made?
– They’re not a third line, they’re the top line. Each line has a specific role. Why burn Sorkin's line in a shutdown role against a team like SKA that plays such a high-skill, puck-moving game? We’ve got guys who have the patience to play against them, and they do it because they’ve truly bought in, not just because they're told to. They play to their strengths. Finding your team chemistry is a true art. A lot of guys never find it and they finish without playing to their full capability.
– You mentioned two good periods—the first and the second. When you looked at them, they did, in fact, differ. In the first period, the team seemed to be playing a bit safe. Maybe they gave the opponent too much respect. Was that a concern for the players? Or your game plan?
– There was no concerns. We were playing on the road – I guess that factor kicked in. Once again, we shut down what SKA wanted to do and we took over the game. Any champion has to be a true two-way player, balancing offense and defense without sacrificing either. That's the look we want to generate. This is a process that the guys have to go through.
