CSKA forward Prokhor Poltapov spoke with reporters postgame in Omsk.
– CSKA controlled the game for the first two periods. What went wrong after that?
– Great game, playoff atmosphere. We owed them one after last year's playoffs, so we just wanted to come out and take it. You make your own luck. Hard work tilts the ice in your favor, and you get rewarded when you play the right way. We came up a bit short today, but we’ll clean it up.
– Your shot caught the goalie off guard. Did you factor in the net-front traffic? How did you make your decision?
– I was just trying to stick to the game plan and do what the coaches were telling us. We were down 1-0 and had to bounce back, so we just started throwing everything at the net. So, it found a way in.
– Great bounce-back after giving up that goal, way to stay composed. What was the team morale like at that time?
– Totally chill, no drama. We just need to stick to our game plan and don't back down. Like I said, it was a playoff-style game – it was a battle of wills. You’ve gotta play till the final buzzer.
– What happened in overtime?
– We’ve got to keep our cool. In overtime, any mistake can cost you the game, the series, or even the season.
