Marcel Hossa: Maybe Dynamo Riga really became a different team after KHL break

Dynamo Riga forward Marcel Hossa heads the list of KHL top scorers with 17 goals.

Marcel Hossa scored two goals in the games against Ak Bars and Neftekhimik each to head the KHL top scorers’ list.

"Maybe Dynamo Riga really became a different team after KHL break", said Hossa to Sport Express.

"To my mind all our players understood during November break that it couldn't last the same way anymore. We discussed our problems and ways to improve our results".

"Actually, these talks united us as a team. When we played in Kazan and Nizhnekamsk, we felt for the first time that results of this work won’t be lost".

"And of course our coach Supler and his assistants changed many things during our trainings. We have been working on correcting our mistakes during these ten days".

"Players became more self-confident, though frankly speaking it was seen that we were a little bit nervous at the opening minutes of the match with Ak Bars".

"However after that we understood that we succeeded in many components of the game, and played the best match of this season. Victory in Kazan was very important not only from our position in the standings, it also helped us psychologically. And our main target now is to keep the same mindset".

"Rumours about Julius Supler’s dismissal urged us forward. I suppose the previous season was successful for us and all players know that Supler can create warn and friendly atmosphere in the team. Nobody wanted to lose this wonderful coach".

"I was worried about these rumours and I tried not to think about them, however I didn’t manage to distract from these negative thoughts. Fortunately, we support our head coach by our good performance and victories".

"I began my career in NHL when I was very young and I turned to be not very strong for their hockey".

"It often happens that player is considered to be a star in his home country, but when he comes to the North America, he doesn’t impress with goals there. It happens not because level of hockey is much higher in NHL, as many players prefer European style. And I think that I found my best team in Riga".

"Maybe I will return to NHL some day, but I will do it only if I feel that I really can play hockey there".