Oleg Znarok: "We are preparing for Canada"

Oleg Znarok, Russian national team head coach:

- Pavel Datsyuk's absence is a big loss for us. However, we have five centre forwards and we knew what to do in this situation.

- What do you think about playing Canada next?

- What can I think? We're preparing for the match.

- Sergei Bobrovsky mentioned that he can't remember a match where so many of the opponents' shots were blocked. Did you give the players this task?

- Modern ice hockey requires you to block loads of shots. All teams do this. 

- Why did you put Evgeny Kuznetsov and Alexander Ovechkin together? And did they do well?

- Yesterday, we took the decision that Pavel Datsyuk wasn't going to play. Evgeny and Alexander were in one line because they play together for the Washington Capitals. We won, so I'm happy.

- Has the team already achieved the minimum goal?

- No. Every coach and team wants to make it to the final and win.

- What helped Ivan Telegin improve so much?

- Psychology. He is getting better with every game. Why did he play with Vadim Shipachyov instead of Artemiy Panarin? Artemiy has played in the NHL all last season, he has played in a different style.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation