Roman Rotenberg and Dmitry Kvartalnov speak in Novosibirsk

A press conference was held after Russia 25 defeated Belarus 3:1 at the 2025 Channel One Cup in Novosibirsk.

Russia 25 head coach Roman Rotenberg:

"The fans' wonderful support provided us with extra energy! It was a tough game against a strong opponent, we have to remember that Dinamo Minsk are in third place of the Western Conference for a reason. Their national team have the same coaches and the same tactics. Over the past week, we've worked hard on our own tactical matters and in the gym. Our guys did a good job. Maxim Motorygin was solid in our net, even though he just missed out on a shutout. We're learning from our mistakes and improving. We're looking forward to tomorrow's decisive game!"

Danil Aimurzin's performance...

"Everyone can see Danil's talent and skill level. He has everything required to go on and become one of the world's best players."

Why Vladimir Tkachyov wasn't picked for the tournament...

"We're working with the future in mind. Vladimir played for the national team in the past. Unfortunately, we can't include 100 people in our squad! We picked players who can represent Russia at the World Championship and Olympic Games in the future."

What Steven Seagal said in the dressing room...

"We spoke about the Oscar which he won. In the past, Steven attended ice hockey matches in the US and Canada. His Oscar triumph can be compared to winning the Olympics. However, whereas you can win an Oscar every year, the Olympics take place only every four years. For our mentality and future victories, we need to speak and share experiences."

Reasons why Timur Akhiyarov didn't play...

"We want all of our players to play, and I'm giving chances to our younger guys. Timur's a great athlete and a positive person. However, we couldn't take any risks today."

Belarus head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov:

"Our best player was Ivan Kulbakov, who kept us in the game. Our forwards didn't help, they created little and made lots of passing mistakes. We lost our in terms of the duels and movement."