Nikita Zaitsev speaks about preparations for Norway

Russian national team defenseman, Nikita Zaitsev, spoke about playing Norway in the opening match of the 2019 IIHF World Championship in Bratislava, Slovakia:

- I am very impressed with the quality of the arena and the ice. It's great that we've already had the opportunity to skate here after arriving. We're in a positive mood with the competition about to begin. Is the match against Norway similar to a training session? How can that be the case? The tournament starts tomorrow. Norway have a disciplined team. Nowadays, all teams play modern ice hockey. Our functions in the national team are different to those with our respective clubs. When I joined the national team, it's true I was hoping to compete on the powerplay, but it doesn't bother me that much. My job is to compete and do my job.