The coach of CSKA team summed up the game with Dynamo.
- Congratulations to our guys. A good game. We realized what we wanted to do for a long time. We found the dynamics between the defense, center and attacking zones. Our forwards and defensemen played some dynamic hockey today and were very goal-oriented. The puck was moving forward. The opponent was very serious, Dynamo represented a force - the leaders of the championship. I am very glad that we were able to play good defensive game.
It seemed that this win was largely thanks to the four pucks scored by Kunlun the day before yesterday, which loosened up the team. Was that true?
- This is our schedule from game to game. We were also looking for dynamics in our actions back then. Today we had a different opponent, who acts differently. We worked something out yesterday in practice. And today against a tough opponent, we were able to show teamwork in three and five. We didn't have much time to do all that during the offseason. But we clearly understood that the best practice is the game.
- Probably one of the key moments today was CSKA playing short-handed. How much attention did you pay to Dynamo's special teams, in particular, the first unit, when preparing for the game?
- Unfortunately, both teams did not score on the power play today. Regarding our playing short-handed - we have hockey players who have gone through a good school over the past few seasons, playing on the power play. That also gave a certain boost. Yes, we've been analyzing our opponent's game. I think that the guys also got some information. And we were able to realize that in some team actions on the power play and penalty killing.
- How is the health of Soshnikov and Dalbek?
- They have injuries, so they could not continue the fight.
- Can you call this the best game for you as a head coach? After the game with Ak Bars, especially in the second and third periods today, your team showed a completely different level of playing hockey.
- It was our good game. We also played well with Ak Bars. Taking the penalty, when we had six field players on two occasions, not quite typical penalty to our central defender, the failure in some moments at the faceoff spot in the game with Kazan. I can't say that today was our best game, we would better wait for a while. We can and must play better. I just want to see the dynamics of chemistry in our links with pairs of defenders. So far, we're in the process because we've had a certain lack of time during our preparation for the season.
- You have Grigorenko and young Mingachev killing the penalty. Is this such a degree of trust or is it a tribute to the Soviet hockey, in which most central hockey was two-way?
- We came to the conclusion that we need depth, especially short-handed. I realized that a long time ago when I was with CSKA Club, and now I have the chance. I think we're going in the right direction, because the guys you named can play at faceoff spot, can be selfless and their skills allow them playing when there is one less player in the team. We're working in that direction.
- You're leading 2:0, and four minutes from time, Sergei Plotnikov takes a penalty on a smooth spot. Was it an accident, emotion, or something else?
- I think emotions. In this case I would like to say that we need those emotions to help us to play the hockey we showed today.
- How do you rate Ivan Fedotov's game?
- Apart from the score and his confident play today, I think Ivan is in his way back to full fitness. Today he showed the level that gave us the opportunity to win. I hope he progresses from game to game. Still, he's a new player for CSKA and the new coach is important for the goalie. This is not the limit for Ivan, the work continues.
