Oleg Znarok: "We were ready for any situation"

Head coach Oleg Znarok:

- How important is it not to play an extra match?

- Yes, it's important. We were ready for any situation, but it's good that we don't have an added game.

- Will the break be too long?

- We thought that this might be the case, so we had planned in preparation.

- Did you think about not putting Nikolai Prokhorkin into the line-up for this match?

- It was a winning line-up.

- Today, did the new line combinations play perfectly?

- Well, not perfectly, but something close to that.

- Where were you better than the Americans?

- Our tactics.

- How important is Pavel Datsyuk's role in this team?

- Every player has an important role to play.

- Is it important that the whole stadium was cheering for Russia?

- Of course, it's very important for us.

- Did you keep up to date with the Slovenia versus Slovakia match?

- No.

- Were you worried that this match could get out of control?

- Yes, but we calmed the guys down. This is the Olympic Games.

- What did you say to the players about fighting the opponents?

- We told them not to bow down to the provocation.

- How important is Vasily Koshechkin's shutout?

- Very important for us and him.

Russian Ice Hockey Federation