Reaction after the victory against Slovakia at the Germany Cup

After defeating Slovakia 2:1 at the Germany Cup, Oleg Bratash, Nikita Mikhaylov, Konstantin Okulov and Artyom Manukyan spoke with the press.

Russian Olympic team head coach Oleg Bratash:

- Before this tournament began, we knew who we were going to play against. So far, all of the matches are ending with a difference of one goal, and it was never going to be easy. The level of tension in these matches is the same as at World Championships. Nikita Mikhaylov scored? He's constantly progressing and played excellently at the start of the 2018/2019 KHL season. He deserved his call-up. The next match against Switzerland? They're a quality team which reflects the level of the Swiss domestic championship. It's a very strong league. Technically and physically they're very good.

Russian national team forward Nikita Mikhaylov:

- I'm really happy to score! Thank you to the team and the guys for this match. I was given a great pass and I simply needed to hit the target. I've made a strong start with the national team, and to be honest, I have even surprised myself. It was an even game against a strong opponent. Konstantin Gorovikov, one of our coaches, told us to shoot more ahead of the third period.

Russian national team forward Konstantin Okulov:

- I am happy for the team and Nikita. What went wrong sometimes? On the powerplay, we made too many mistakes. It was a tense match, but we expected this at the tournament, tomorrow's match will be another tough one. We need to sleep well and be ready to play Switzerland with a clear head. It's great to hear the Russian supporters inside the arena, it's as it we're playing at home!

Russian national team forward Artyom Manukyan:

- Slovakia have a strong team, but we had the right mindset. Vasily Demchenko, our goalkeeper, was solid between the pipes. We tried to stick to the game plan in place. It's a well-needed victory and we continue.