Igor Nikitin: We spent a lot of effort, but this is the playoffs - this is the final
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Igor Nikitin: We spent a lot of effort, but this is the playoffs - this is the final

The CSKA head coach Igor Nikitin commented on the results of the fourth game of the final series of the Gagarin Cup.

- If we knew that they would penalize two forwards, then, of course, we would have suited up Nikita Soshnikov. But Soshnikov is not yet a "limiter" (additional players suited up for the game), and Afanasiev and Sorkin are "limiters". Naturally, we played much short-handed that's why those players who were fresher came out to play, hence there was such a combination of lines.

Why did CSKA players have so many misconduct penalties today? This is hockey, these things happen. This is the final, maybe the fatigue has accumulated. Perhaps it was the fact that they were ahead 2-0. Maybe for you, journalists, this game seemed like a fairy tale. For us – definitely not. We spent a lot of effort, but this is the playoffs, this is the final.