Interviews ahead of playing Finland in the 2022 Olympic final

Ahead of the upcoming final of the 2022 Olympic Games against Finland, ROC men's ice hockey team coach Sergei Fyodorov, defensemen Yegor Yakovlev and Damir Sharipzyanov and forward Kirill Semyonov shared their expectations.

Coach Sergei Fyodorov:

- The first thing which we needed to do was to help the players recover. Tomorrow, I think that a lot will depend on our psychology. The guys understand the importance of the match. Nerves? We've had a difficult journey to the final, and yesterday's game was tough. We are focused on performing well technically and tactically. Furthermore, we must show character and win the duels.

Defenseman Yegor Yakovlev:

- Finland have good, quality players who can make great plays in accordance with the situation on the ice. We will try to compete in a compact manner in order to not give them a lot of scoring opportunities. We must compete on the front foot.

Defenseman Damir Sharipzyanov:

- I often compete against Teemu Hartikainen's line with Sakari Manninen and Markus Granlund when playing for my club in the KHL, so we know how to cope with them. We have to be focused on our own game, we are improving with every passing match. In the final, we must show what we are capable of. The Finns? When we were training in Novogorsk, the coaches spoke about their tactics. We've analysed their special teams. The semi-final against Sweden? First of all, I am really happy for Arseniy Gritsyuk who scored the decisive penalty shot. We are a united group, it feels as though we have been playing together for years.

Forward Kirill Semyonov:

- The Finns have a talented team, their line from Salavat Yulaev Ufa is especially dangerous. However, instead of looking at the names of the opposing players, we have to show the ice hockey which our coaches demand. We must crash the net and play to win.