The defender of the army team spoke about the prematurely ended youth world championship and the matches played for CSKA.
- In early January, you returned from the World Youth Championship, which ended as soon as it began. Did you manage to sink a little bit into the atmosphere of the tournament after two matches played? Any positive experience from this short trip can be drawn?
- The Youth World Championship is a holiday for the entire hockey world. Therefore, being every day on the championship, and especially the match, takes place accompanied by a unique entourage. Of course, I managed to feel the atmosphere, but I wanted to go through the entire tournament to the end, it’s a shame that it all ended like that. At such big tournaments you gain very valuable experience. We had a very good coaching staff. The coaches have always suggested important details that will help me in the future, I am grateful to them for this.
- Some experts were skeptical about the team’s chances for gold medals, especially after the defeat from Sweden. And the victory over Switzerland was called not very bright and confident. How did the team assess their strengths? What did not work in the opening match?
- We played only with the purpose to win, our goal was gold medals! We lost the first match due to our own mistakes and penalties. After the game, the coaches pointed out our shortcomings, and in the future we would not have made such mistakes.
- You said that you were ready to play at the MFM if it is suddenly held in the summer. Do you think this option is realistic? And will it affect the level of the tournament? After all, in the summer everyone will be in far from the best shape.
- I really hope that the tournament will still be held. I want to get into the team again and be in the atmosphere of a hockey holiday. We communicate with the guys with whom we were in the team, and we are waiting for news about the continuation of the tournament. I think that this will not affect the MFM level, since all teams will be able to prepare for it as planned.
- Upon your return, you played one game in the KHL before the season stopped. For the first time you marked with an assist at this level, spent much more time on the ice than in previous matches. Can you name your best game of the season?
- I want to thank the coaching staff for the time entrusted to me. The game had both positive aspects and those that I need to work on. I don’t know if this is the best match of the season, but it turned out to be good, that’s for sure. For any player, the moment when he scores the first points is important, and I am no exception.
- There was an outbreak of coronavirus in CSKA, several matches were canceled. Are you sick too? If so, did the illness go away easily, did you fully recover after the downtime?
- Yes, I was also among the guys who got sick. Unfortunately, the disease did not go away without symptoms. But now I’m already in the ranks, everything is fine!
