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Reaction after defeating the Czech Republic in Moscow
14.12.2019
Alexei Kudashov, Andrei Mironov, Vyacheslav Voynov and Mikhail Grigorenko all shared their opinions after defeating the Czech Republic 4:3 in a dramatic penalty shootout at the Channel One Cup - the second stage of the 2019/2020 Euro Hockey Tour campaign:
Head coach Alexei Kudashov:
- The turning point was in the second period when we had a chance to score a third, but then the Czech Republic scored on the counter. The game became difficult because we allowed the Czechs to get back into it. We did not play well at the start of the second period. The Czech team is strong on the counter-attack, but we let them score a goal. In attack, instead of shooting, we constantly looked for the player to score into the empty net. We didn't need to do that. Nevertheless, we began playing with more confidence in the third period, and the equalising goal arrived.
Defenseman Andrei Mironov:
- Just like in the previous match on Thursday, we played well during the concluding two periods. Yes, we did concede cheap goals, but now we need to look forward to tomorrow, it's a game which we need to win. There were 12,000 fans here in Moscow, but there will be even more in Saint Petersburg. This really helps us.
Defenseman Vyacheslav Voynov:
- The level of the national team is always higher. The speed is quicker and the best players are here. In our matches, there have been a lot of goals, and this speaks volumes about our good play in the attacking zone and our poor play in the defensive zone. We're conceding goals as a result of our bad passes. We were disappointed when we gave our advantage away, but we tried to get back into the game.
Forward Mikhail Grigorenko:
- We started well, created a lot of chances, but we didn't score enough goals. The Czechs took the initiative. If we would have scored more goals, we could have calmly win this match. It was a hard game, but never mind, tomorrow is a new day and we will sleep well tonight. We need to play more solidly in defence, use our chances in attack and improve our powerplay. The match at the Gazprom Arena? We played at that stadium last year, and it was a great experience. We want to make the fans happy with a victory. The main thing is to not enter the game with nerves.
Head coach Alexei Kudashov:
- The turning point was in the second period when we had a chance to score a third, but then the Czech Republic scored on the counter. The game became difficult because we allowed the Czechs to get back into it. We did not play well at the start of the second period. The Czech team is strong on the counter-attack, but we let them score a goal. In attack, instead of shooting, we constantly looked for the player to score into the empty net. We didn't need to do that. Nevertheless, we began playing with more confidence in the third period, and the equalising goal arrived.
Defenseman Andrei Mironov:
- Just like in the previous match on Thursday, we played well during the concluding two periods. Yes, we did concede cheap goals, but now we need to look forward to tomorrow, it's a game which we need to win. There were 12,000 fans here in Moscow, but there will be even more in Saint Petersburg. This really helps us.
Defenseman Vyacheslav Voynov:
- The level of the national team is always higher. The speed is quicker and the best players are here. In our matches, there have been a lot of goals, and this speaks volumes about our good play in the attacking zone and our poor play in the defensive zone. We're conceding goals as a result of our bad passes. We were disappointed when we gave our advantage away, but we tried to get back into the game.
Forward Mikhail Grigorenko:
- We started well, created a lot of chances, but we didn't score enough goals. The Czechs took the initiative. If we would have scored more goals, we could have calmly win this match. It was a hard game, but never mind, tomorrow is a new day and we will sleep well tonight. We need to play more solidly in defence, use our chances in attack and improve our powerplay. The match at the Gazprom Arena? We played at that stadium last year, and it was a great experience. We want to make the fans happy with a victory. The main thing is to not enter the game with nerves.
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