Oleg Znarok: "Our players looked better physically"

National team head coach Oleg Znarok:

- We looked better physically, but a few more days are needed to fully recover. If there's energy, the mindset will also be right.

- Did the opponents surprise you?

- We knew that they have a good, fast team. It was a test for our guys.

- Were South Korea good opponents for you?

- Why not? They moved fast.

- Will Dinar Khafizullin make the Olympic roster?

- No. He will be replaced by Yegor Yakovlev.

- Is Vasily Koshechkin the starting goaltender when the Olympic Games begin?

- Yes.

- Who will play with Ilya Kovalchuk and Pavel Datsyuk?

- We are trying out different options. We will start with Mikhail Grigorenko, but we'll see how it goes. 

- Both Sergei Mozyakin and Ilya Kovalchuk play on the left wing. Do they find it awkward playing together?

- No, Ilya can play either on the left or right.

- Why did you play overtime periods afterwards?

- It was upon our initiative. We are preparing for both 3 on 3 and 4 on 4.

- Are you satisfied with how Vadim Shipachyov plays with Nikita Gusev and Kirill Kaprizov?

- Yes.

- What are you not happy about today?

- The overtime periods.

- How will you train before the tournament starts.

- We won't skate in the evening. According to the schedule, we will have a team photo.

- What do you know about the Olympic Village?

- Nothing yet.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation