GONCHAR: WE NEED TO BE 100% READY ALL THE TIME

The most experienced defenceman of the Russian hockey team and four-time participant of the Olympic games Sergey Gonchar comments on Russia vs. Slovakia match.


Following Russia’s loss to Slovakia Gonchar answered several more questions.

"It’s hard to say something right after the match besides the fact that our special links should improve their play", he said. "We have two days to find our reasons of our failure and prepara for the game against Czech Republic".

"It will be very difficult match, because Czechs play in similar manner with Slovakia. While we don’t convert our opportunities, our performance on power play leave much to be desired, but we have no right to give up".

"We mentioned several positive moments, but what is more important is that result was negative. It menas that we will think it over for two days and work on getting rid of our mistakes. The task of our special links was to score goal, so we need to analyze and say what was wrong".

"Maybe we should have improved our play in the third period. It’s clear that when team plays in two consecutive days, players have to spend more strength and energy, but we didn’t use this opportunity".

"I am waiting for the meeting with my former partner Jaromir Jagr, because he is really great player. No matter how old he is, his technique is always his strong side. And when he is not injured, he is very dangerous".

"Olympic tournament is so great event with the world’s strongest players, that one match can topsy-turn everything. And it’s necessary to be 100% ready all the time".

FEDOROV: LET’S SUPPORT OUR PLAYERS AND COACHES

Viktor Fedorov watched Russia vs. Slovakia match from the stands of Vancouver’s Canada Hockey Place and summarized the game after the final whistle.


"First of all I would like to ask Russian press not to dramatize this failure", said Fedorov after Russia suffered a loss in a shootout series. "Nothing bad happened, and sometime shootout losses give more food for though than 8:2 victories".

"Specialists, coaches, fans saw that we have enough room for improvement, so let’s support our players and coach".

"Olympics is the most unpredictable competition in the world hockey. Here are six almost equal teams, each of which can produce a surprise. Swiss team proved this statement several hours before our match against Slovakia, when they posed serious problems to Canada".

"I didn’t have any doubts that it would be very tough game, because Slovak team is not comfortable opponent for us".

"You know, our goalkeeper was wonderful and I have no claims to Bryzgalov unlike our forwards. When the team with four strongest links scores only one goal in the match, it’s not normal thing".

"Ilya Kovalchuk has big far going potential, however his exchange to New Jersey unsettled him and it was seen in matches for the Devils".

"Maxim Afinogenov is not very noticeable, but I believe in him. Believe me that speed is very significant trump card in matches against North American teams first of all, who unlike Latvia or Slovakia don’t play the second violin and give their rivals space for attack".

"Czechs’ style is similar to Slovakian style, as they play defensive hockey. If our links are balanced, I am sure it will bring positive result".

SLOVAKIA SHOCKS RUSSIA

In a day of surprises in Men’s Hockey that started with Canada’s continued problems with Switzerland, Russia was shocked with a 2-1 shoot-out loss to Slovakia 2-1.


With many pointing to the ultimate of finals, that being Canada versus Russia, few expected the problems they both had on Thursday evening but now both nations must adjust quickly or facing extreme disappointment.

Though Slovakia tend to play a lot stronger in big games than their world ranking would suggest and dealt Russia a similar loss in Torino, Jaroslav Halák walling up, particularly with in the shoot out with two saves on Alexandr Ovechkin was far beyond expectation.

The story of the night was Russia's inability to deal with the Slovaks hard checking defence and hot goaltender Jaroslav Halák. After Russia took the lead with Alexey Morozov's goal in the second period, the Montréal Canadiens goalie was impossible to beat. Russia's sloppy play forced them to kill off too many penalties as well as looking oddly leg weary before midway of the third period, Pavol Demitra set-up Marian Hossa in the slot for a one timer the send the game to overtime. Unable to settle things during the overtime, Jaroslav Halák took over with notables’ saves of Evgeni Malkin and Alexandr Ovechkin twice before Pavol Demitra beat Ilya Bryzgalov to give the Slovaks the win.

Russia will now turn its attention to Czech Republic in what has turned into a "must win" situation.

YAKUSHEV GIVES HIS PREDICTIONS

Legendary Soviet player and former head coach of the Russian hockey team Alexandr Yakushev gives his predictions for the second round of the Olympic hockey tournament.


Belorus vs. Sweden 1:5

I have no doubts that Sweden will set for this match like for the meeting against Russia or Canada, since didn’t forget their defeat to Belorus at the Games-2002 quarterfinal. I expect an overwhelming victory of Swedish side.

Czech Republic vs. Latvia 4:1

Having beat Slovakiv, Yagr and company proved hockey world one more time that it’s early to ignore them in the gold medal race. As for Latvia, they showed worthy hockey in the second period of the match against Russia, however Jaromir Jagr team’s class will be crucial today.

Finland vs. Germany 3:1

Finland is traditionally one of the most rational teams of the tournament. They are dangerous on power play and in episodes when they have space for their attacks. They will easily beat Germany.

BONDRA: SLOVAKIA CAN SURPRISE EVERYONE

The general manager of Slovak hockey team Peter Bondra talks about match against Russia in Vancouver.


"We really have team of veterans", said Bondra. "We are not going to make experiments at the Olympic games. When we were to choose the squad, we staked on experienced players".

"I cannot say that we don’t have talented youngsters, but stake on players with rich experience is evident. They are professionals, who have been playing in the national team for a long time. All our best players are in Vancouver now".

"It’s pity that Slovakia doesn’t have such talented youngsters like Ovechkin and Stamkos. Slovakia’s population is only five million, while there are five thousand hockey players and 250 juniors in the country. If we have no young talents of Gaborik’s level, we cannot fill in the void".

"I am not joking when I say that any team can beat us in Vancouver, even Latvia, but we can beat them too. Of course we will try to win in all matches, however let’s be unbiased. It’s necessary to demonstrate our best hockey when it’s necessary most of all. Slovak team can surprised everyone at the Olympics".

"I like the scheme of the current tournament, as we always have a chance to correct our position. Maybe Canada doesn’t like this system because they are expected to win in all games, but it’s their business. Slovakian team is not under pressure and we have nothing to lose".

"I perfectly remember how we defeated everybody in our group in Torino – Russia, Americans and then Sweden, though it was a strange game. Unfortunately we didn’t show our best hockey in that quarterfinal match".

"At that time Alexandr Ovechkin was a rookie, while he became a real superstar then. That victory was a shock for everyone. I don’t say that we can’t beat Russia in Vancouver, but in order to do it we need many factors to help us do it".

"I hope that our players from KHL will perform here not worse than in their clubs, but their roles will change in the national team. Each player knows his area of work, so they will have enough time to show their best qualities here".

FEDOROV: WE HAD NO RIGHT TO RELAX

Russian veteran Sergey Fedorov shared his impressions from Russia’s opening match of Vancouver Hockey competition against Latvia.


"We made a good start, but we had been waiting for the third goal little longer than we wanted", said Fedorov after the match. "We knew that Latvia is well organized team with fantastic coaching staff. I know Oleg Znarok as I played against him in Soviet times, and we had to right to relax against his team".

"I managed to play the way it was necessary and I helped my team with two assists. It was very pleasant to play with Viktor Kozlov and Alexandr Radulov. Before that I played with them only one period at the First Channel Cup".

"I felt well, though I didn’t understand why there were so many Russians on the stands. There were many Canadian flags and I didn’t expect that this match would gather so many Russian fans".

BYKOV: OVECHKIN IS LIKE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

Russian hockey team head coach Vyacheslav Bykov commented on Russia’s Olympic games opening clash against Latvia.

"Players entered the ice in perfect emotional mindset and it was easy to feel since the opening seconds of the match", said Bykov at press conference.

"We asked them play constructive hockey in order to find mutual understanding in the links easier. We had some problems with power play, but in general I am satisfied with the game and result".

"Many people say that we have strong attack and weak defence, but we will try to improve our statistics. I don’t think that we will face serious problems with it".

"It was important to let players enter the tournament in the opening game, so it’s necessary to give them enough playing time. All our players are top-level professionals, who want to play more. We will use potential of such players as Ovechkin, Kovalchuk and Malkin in the next matches".

"Potential of Alexandr Ovechkin is enormous. He is like nuclear power plant. These guys play hockey of the next generation, but since Alexandr played four games in recent five days in NHL, it was necessary to measure out the workload".

"All our four links are very strong and it’s very important that each player uses his playing time in maximum".

"Discipline in the team is very good. I gave playing more playing time so that they get pleasure and establish better understanding of each other".

"I was not surprised at all by the perfect play of the 40-year-old Sergey Fedorov, though I had some concerns because he played the last match on 5 February. But his brilliant display proves that he is a real master".

RUSSIA COMMANDING AGAINST LATVIA

If the opening day of competition in Men's Hockey was any indication, the much talked about Russia vs. Canada showdown could be in the horizon.


Any talk of those two giants of the sport brings to mind the legends of the sport, epitomized by the 1972 Summit Series but the 2010 model of Alexandr Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, Jarome Iginla and Evgeni Malkin is in vintage form.

Following Canada's 8-0 thrashing of Norway that was as much as cleansing from the embarrassment of Torino as a statement of intent, the stage was set for Russia who equally wanted to move past the disappointment of the 2006 games.

In the day's leading up the opener, Vladislav Tretyak certainly appeared confident as Alexandr Ovechkin and company put on an attacking show during practices that few can rival. Against Latvia in the late Tuesday night contest, Russia was dominating from the start with a 8-2 victory.

Just past two minutes into the first period Sergey Fedorov showed his play-making abilities is still top-shelf as he sent a cross-crease pass that Danis Zaripov sent past Latvia goaltender Edgars Masaļskis. Salavat Yulaev's Alexandr Radulov sent in a close range rebound four minutes later to give Russia a quick two-goal lead. Russia continued to flourish and with less than a minute in the first period remaining Alexandr Semin set-up Alexandr Ovechkin, with the Hart Trophy winner showing no hesitation with one-timing it past the Latvia goalie.

The second period showed a modest weakness in the Russian side, though against such a lesser side, it is possible that any analysis is over reaching. Russia seemed to ease off the accelerator in the second period and lacked its normal team cohesiveness as it could only net a late power-play goal by Evgeniy Malkin to up its lead to 4-0.

This carried forward to the start of the third period when Herberts Vasiljevs stunned Russia with a shot from the slot to pull Latvia to within three. To lend credence to the notion that Russia was coasting, the Latvian goal stirred Vyacheslav Bykov's men as they scored Alex Ovechkin, Danis Zaripov and Ilya Kovalchuk each scored within two minutes. Dynamo Riga's Ģirts Ankipāns would add another for Latvia before Russian captain Alexey Morozov rounded out the scoring in the final minute.

Despite any negative concerns, Russia showed an overwhelming domination that few can rival. The rich attack, led by Alexandr Ovechkin, Evgeniy Malkin and Ilya Kovalchuk was daunting, yet the veteran leadership of Sergey Fedorov might most be the most compelling statement, as Russia wants gold.

FEDOROV: OUR TEAM IS TALENTED AND YOUNG

The three-time Stanley Cup winner and three-time Sergey Fedorov admits he will do his best to help Russian team in Vancouver.


"As I played hockey in Soviet times, I managed to perform in very talented national team", said Fedorov. "Nowadays we have a group of really talented players too".

"Our team is young and that is why our players don’t need to cope with old complexes of not winning the Olympic games for a long time. We have a clear target and we have a wonderful team".

"We get pleasure from training and playing together. And we will give our best in every match trying to win the tournament".

"I hope that Russia’s two victories at the World championships produced a positive impact on development of hockey in the country and served as a perfect boost for the Olympic games. But it’s better to ask managers of the Russian Hockey Federation about it, as they know current state of hockey in Russia after these two victories".

"This competition is of course the last international tournament in my career. I always said that I want to play hockey more and more, but after Vancouver Olympics I will play one season in Russia".

"I cannot play on the same stable level like when I was 25, but I will do everything possible to show my former style from time to time, and it would be really great. The main thing is to help the team achieve our targets".

"Vyacheslav Bykov has enough experience and he understands our youngsters. We are relaxed, we like being together and playing at the Olympic games. Our coach is part of unique atmosphere in the team".

"Andrey Khomutov and Vyacheslav Bykov played important role in Olympic victory in Albertville, which was held at times when my NHL career was in full swing. Our head coach didn’t forget his playing experience and it helps him find the common language with players".

"Russian forwards can boast rich experience of playing in the national teams. Many of these players played in NHL and KHL, which is valuable experience too.

"As a player I am happy to be with Ovechkin, Malkin, Kovalchuk and other young talents and I get pleasure from playing with them".

KOVALCHUK: IF WE WIN, WE WILL BECOME DREAM TEAM

Russian star Ilya Kovalchuk states that Russian hockey team has always been dangerous for the opponents.


"I suppose that relations between players, coaches and managers are very important during short-term competitions", said Kovalchuk. "All these are on very high level in the Russian team".

"Players are eager to play at the Olympic games and I think that each of them will give his best in Vancouver".

"I am very happy to meet my old and new friends. Atmosphere in Bykov’s team differs from all teams where I had a chance to play. Maybe the reason is that Bykov and Zakharkin had lived in Europe for long time and their way of thinking differs from other Russian coaches".

"I am glad that I moved to New Jersey and I suppose I will have an opportunity to take part in play-off series. I hope to win something this season".

"Russian team has always been dangerous for the opponents, I think that our current team has everything necessary to achieve success. We will become Dream Team only after we win the gold. It’s impossible to stop at two World Championships".

NAZAROV: FINLAND WILL SCORE FOUR GOALS TODAY

HC Traktor head coach Andrey Nazarov gives his predictions for the first matches of the Olympic hockey tournament.


Finland vs. Belorus 4:1

Finnish hockey is easily recognizable. I will support my compatriot Mezin, who is not Russian citizen in sport unfortunately. But I am afraid that Finnish team will fire in four goals behind him.

Sweden vs. Germany 5:2

Scandinavian team earned reputation of one of the most pragmatic teams of the world hockey. Nevertheless I think that Olympic champions will begin with a bright victory, since nobody needs pragmatism at the first stage of the tournament. And that is why Germany, which doesn’t make progress under my good friend Uwe Krupp, will score twice.

Czech Republic vs. Slovakia 2:1 OT

It is the most difficult match of the day for prediction. I have been watching closely Jagr’s performance in KHL and I can say that he had been preparing for the Olympics and gained his peak form. Yaromir is the main strong side of the Czechs.

MALKIN: WE ARE EAGER TO WIN THE GOLD

Evgeniy Malkin and Sergey Gonchar Photo

Russian sport press correspondent talked to Russian hockey team leader Evgeniy Malkin.



This interview with the MVP of the previous Stanley Cup began in Canada Hockey Place after the last training session of the Russian team before the Olympic games opening match and ended in the Olympic Village.

Russian team grabbed two World Championships crowns while Evgeniy Malkin played in the final and then won Stanley Cup trophy. "Firstly, there are other players, who didn’t win the World Cup gold besides me [Datsyuk, Gonchar and Kozlov]", commented Malkin.

"Secondly, the World champion and Olympic champion are two different things. Maybe Russian team has no Olympic champions, so I think that all players are eager to win the Olympic gold, not only me".

"I played with my partners Ilya Kovalchuk and Maxim Afinogenov at the World championships, so we easily find mutual understanding on the ice. Of course we have little time for team-work, but other players are in the same conditions".

"I will play with the number 11 sweater in Vancouver, as I began playing hockey with this number in my childhood. Later I changed it for the 71 number, but it was occupied in the national team".

"The choice of number was very easy, because I had been playing with number 11 for a long time. I don’t think that number is important, but I hope it will bring me success".

"I forgot about my suspension at the end of Turin Olympics quarterfinal match against Canada. I don’t recall this episode, though it was really unpleasant".

"In my opinion my violation didn’t deserve suspension until the end of the match with further suspension in the Olympics’ quarterfinal game. I think that punishment was very strict and cruel".

"Of course I wanted to help my teammates in the semifinal match against Finland, when Russia lost. I don’t know if something depended on me in Turin if talking about result. I spent not much time in ice there, but I wanted to help my partners".

MARKOV TRAINS WITH RUSSIAN TEAM IN VANCOUVER

Montreal defenceman Andrey Markov joined Russian hockey team on Sunday and took part in the team’s training session despite rumours about his injury.


Andrey Markov missed recent matches of his club in NHL regular championship through an injury. He was even rumoured to stay out of the Olympic games, however Russian player has already joined Russian national team in Vancouver.

"Every hockey player has some slight injuries during the season, but when you join Olympic team, you forget about them immediately", said Markov. "I think everything will be all right with me.

"The main target of my club is to squeeze to NHL playoffs, so Olympic games are not the main priority. At the same time hockey is number one sport in Canada and people will pay great attention to the Olympic tournament".

"Our first opponent in Vancouver will be Latvia, who was a part of USSR. It’s always very difficult to play against former Soviet republics, since they are motivated for the games against us. Our match with Latvia won’t be easy".

NAZAROV PREDICTS RUSSIA’S VICTORY

HC Traktor head coach Andrey Nazarov gives his predictions for the first matches of the Olympic hockey tournament.


The US vs. Switzerland 3:1

Americans has interesting and hungry for victories team. If they catch their rhythm, they can beat anyone, but if they don’t, they will become the Games’ disappointment. In any case I think they won’t score more than one goal in the opening clash.

Canada vs. Norway 6:1

Canada never overstrain themselves in the preliminary rounds. I believe Norway will start the game cautiously, but collapse in the middle of the meeting. And Canada will traditionally let them score a consolation goal at the end.

Russia vs. Latvia 4:0

It is not only the starting match for Russia, but derby of two countrymen – Vyacheslav Bykov and Oleg Znarok. I suppose our team will win thanks to our higher class and will do everything possible to help our goalkeeper begin the competition without any conceded goals.

OVECHKIN: I AM ACCUMULATING GOALS FOR VANCOUVER

Tomorrow at 8 a.m. MSK the Russian national ice hockey team is to play its opening match against the Latvian team at the Olympics-2010.


It is pointless to remind once more how important is Alexandr Ovechkin to the ice hockey world. People expect a lot from the NHL MVP in the seasons 2007/08 and 2008/09. And not people in Russia expect Ovechkin to make a show but also citizens of Canada where Alex is an idol.

"If they broadcasted it on the TV when I helped Ovi get in the car my weight in the company where I am working will increase immensely!" exclaimed a young driver who brought Ovechkin and his Washington company from the airport to the training.

Having come to the Olympics Alexandr does not try to play somebody else. He is the one we know him – straightforward, funny, striving to render most of the questions as jokes.

Only one question made Ovechkin get embarrassed a bit. And this question had a kind of prehistory.

One of the journalists seeing a special microphone prepared for Alex compared the player with the US President. And the spokesmen reacted immediately: "For Canada he is more important!"

"I am not a president," commented the forward. "I see no reason to meet me this way."

"We had a good flight with my teammates. And at once after the airport we arrived at the stadium for a training session."

"I had enough time to feel myself at the Olympics – on my way from the airport. There are so many supporters, Canadian flags, people on the streets who recognize you. Because it is Canada and here everybody goes nuts about ice hockey."

"I prepared a kind of a surprise for our supporters but that is not red blades on the skates as my partner in Washington Tomas Fleischmann said in his interview. I am not going to reveal it now."

"In Turin I brought 19 hockey sticks and to Vancouver I took 42… do not be shocked, I am joking – only 24."

"For us, hockey players, the weather here in Vancouver is all right but for the skiers it must be much worse."

"I am not surprised that it is so warm in the winter. Just imagine what the weather will be like in Sochi in 2014," laughs Alex the Great.

"My current emotions are different from those I had before the Turin-2006. I had jimjams there when a 20-year old guy arrived at the Olympics."

"But now I am more experienced, passed through the Stanley Cup play-offs, and became the World Champion. So I have so experience on my shoulders."

"Important is the fact that people should expect a lot not from me personally bur from the entire team. Personal results here are of smaller significance than the team ones."

"I have not scored for Washington in three last matches and there is nothing wrong with me I am just accumulating goals for the Olympic tournament," smiles the player.

MOROZOV: THE FLAG IS NOT HEAVY

Russia’s flag bearer Alexey Morozov spoke to sport press the day after the Vancouver Olympic games opening ceremony.


"I won’t hide that I was a little bit nervous ahead of the ceremony, as I didn’t know how it would be", said Russian hockey team captain Alexey Morozov. "I even advised with Vladislav Tretyak, who was the team’s flag bearer twice".

"The flag is not very heavy, I would even say that it’s light. I heard rumours about seven kilograms, but they were exaggerated".

"We really had to wait for too long, as there were many teams at the stadium. I came to the Olympic Village at three, while the ceremony began at six. We had to stand in queues and wait for all this time".

BYKOV: OUR PLAYERS ARE REAL PATRIOTS

Russian hockey team’s head coach Vyacheslav Bykov spoke to russian sport press after the last training session before NHL players’ arrival to Vancouver.


"Russia’s main philosophy for the Olympics is our desire to win gold medals", Bykov began. "We have been working with these players for four years and we are sure that they understand all coaches’ requirements".

"They perfectly know that team success is always on the first place and when they come to the national team squad they are aware that it’s necessary to play for the whole team and create right atmosphere".

"Sixteen players out of twenty-three are the World Championship gold medallists and they know how to beat Canadian team in Canada. But our extended 50-men list was not accidental too, because we had worked with those players and we were sure of them".

"I am absolutely convinced that these players are real patriots of their country. They know value of victory and hard work, which is necessary to apply for this victory".

"I cannot compare our generation with generation of players of 1990s because I played in the national team only in the first half of that decade and didn’t play in Russia at all. That team also had ambitious guys who wanted to show themselves. These two situations are different, but what unites two generations is players’ desire to win".

"I don’t think that it’s right to compare generations, since there were different people, different time and hockey. Each of them is interesting, each of them had its leaders, targets and dreams, however there is no sense in saying which of them is better or worse. It’s a wrong approach".

VANCOUVER READIES FOR CANADA VS. RUSSIA SHOWDOWN

Amongst the backdrop of the grandeur of the Winter Olympics in beautiful Vancouver and what the spirit of the games truly represents there is no denying that many in sporting community are hushed in wait for a Canada - Russia showdown in Hockey.


The world has dramatically changed since the famed Summit Series yet for those lucky to watch those eight remarkable games in September of 1972 the bar has been set at a level that is unlikely to be ever touched.

Each sport has its great rivalries, all worthy of enormous respect, yet Canada versus Russia on the ice might be the only that defines the sport on the international stage and Summit Series is its apex.

The lore of that remarkable time, when these giants in the sport clashed, only separated by Paul Henderson’s goal with thirty-four seconds remaining, will last forever, frozen in time.

The impact of the Summit Series was extraordinary from not only the perspective of assisting the move of Europe's best Hockey talent to the NHL, the new-found appreciation of "dry-land" training and technical skating styles that the Soviet Union revolutionized but most importantly, it brought the two nations closer in understanding each other.

Should these two go head to head in Vancouver, it will not laden by heavy handed marketing and global branding that sadly plagues elements of the professional sport today but of two great nations loving the game as part of their heritage, just as they did as children on a pond or backyard rink.

Ultimately the lessons of accomplishment, pride and honour is what all sport is about and now in Vancouver the stage is set for the grandest of battles to be played out once more.

COACHES SURPRISED WITH PLAYERS’ FORM

Russian hockey team held the last training session in Novogorsk yesterday ahead of departure to Vancouver.


Fourteen Russian KHL players and coaching staff made for Vancouver today. The senior coach of the team Igor Zakharkin commented on the last day of work in Novogorsk.

"Coaching staff is satisfied with all players from 23-men list and from reserves", underlined Zakharkin. "We examined players’ functional form and despite tough match schedule they feel all right".

"On the last day of our Moscow trainings we offered players conditions of the North American smaller ice hockey rinks. It’s surprising but everybody is perfectly ready now".

RUSSIA AND CANADA LOOK FOR SUPERSERIES-2010

Russian and Canadian ice hockey teams are looking forward to repeating the famous superseries of 1972 at the Winter Olympic games, which start today in Vancouver.


"It is the second important tournament for Canadian hockey after the superseries against Soviet Union team in 1972", said popular Canadian journalist of The Hockey News Alan Adams.

His colleague Bill Beacon from Canadian Press, who worked at the Winter Olympic Games in Calgary-88, puts much significance into hockey competition too. "I agree that Vancouver is the second important tournament in our history", said Beacon.

"First of all because it will take place at our country. And moreover hockey cannot be compared with any other kind of sport at the Olympics".

"But anyway I don’t think that something could be comparable to our superseries of 1972. it was a mixture of social, political and sport events and it was impossible to describe the nerve-strain in words".

"This time we will see just hockey, though without any doubts it will be fantastic hockey, but not hockey, which we enjoyed in 1972".

RADULOV: I WILL PLAY WITH ZINOVIEV AND KOZLOV

The leader of Salavat Yulaev – best KHL team in the regular championship – Alexandr Radulov gave an interview before flying to Vancouver.


"I am going to Vancouver with most happy hopes", said probably the brightest Russian KHL player. "The Olympics are a big sports holiday and I always wanted to take part in it. So I am in high spirits before my first Olympics".

"I am full of emotions and do not be afraid I will have enough of them whole tournament. At least I am not going to spare my energy".

"I think I will play with Zinoviev and Kozlov in the Olympic team but I cannot say anything in particular – only coaches know the exact lineups".

"And though I communicate with the head coaches of the national team in my club we do not discuss such questions in Ufa. The KHL championship is our priority there".

"And moreover it is not very important with whom I will play. More important is to be well prepared."

"It does not really matter how much time you will spend on the ice during the tournament. Of course everybody wants to have more of it. But the team result is important first of all".

"No matter will you play two minutes or half of the match you must enter and do you best because you play for your country for your supporters".

"And I think there should be no offences at the Olympics. It is not most important whether you are in the squad or not, whether you play or sit on the bench".

"Vancouver is a wonderful city, the arena there is very nice. And the audience as everywhere in Canada go nuts about hockey. And for the citizens of this country hockey is more than their life".

"I think all of the teams will have it difficult there, for the audience are very demanding but at the same time rather objective".

"If a team plays well it will get its applause after the match. But of course not in the matches against the hosts".

CANADA UNDER SURVEILLANCE

Yesterday in Novogorsk the KHL part of the Russian Olympic hockey team started its preparation to the tournament in Vancouver.


The 14 players of KHL trained yesterday in Novogorsk. Nine of whom are included into the 23-men list:

Defencemen – Nikulin (Ak Bars), Kalinin (Salavat Yulaev), Korneev (CSKA); forwards – Zinoviev, Radulov, Kozlov (all – Salavat Yulaev), Zaripov, Morozov (both – Ak Bars), Sergey Fedorov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk).

And five more reserves with them: goalkeepers – Koshechkin (Metallurg Magnitogorsk), Eremenko (Salavat Yulaev); defencemen – Atyushov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk), Proshkin (Salavat Yulaev) and forward Tereschenko (Ak Bars).

This mini training camp is to last for two days. On Wednesday the team has two training sessions – in the gym in the morning and on the ice in the evening. And on Thursday they take a charter flight to Vancouver from Sheremetyevo (SVO) Airport.

"At the very day of our arrival to Vancouver we will have an ice training", said the senior coach of the Russian squad Igor Zakharkin. "That is important in order to keep up the form".

"At the Olympic tournament physical preparedness and team mobility will be imperative. Speeds will be very high. And taking all this into account we are to build our training process".

"We thought over the possible consequences of acclimatization on the players and that is why we are flying to Vancouver in advance. A group of physiologists will visit the team and thoroughly examine the players".

"There can be no minorities in such thing as the Olympics. We have a huge video-archive that helps us study our opponents and not only those we are to meet at the group stage. We analyze strong sides of the leaders, actions of the teams in powerplays or on the contrary shorthanded".

After these words it becomes clear that all our opponents in Canada are under surveillance of our head coaches - Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin.

BYKOV: OUR TASK IS THE OLYMPIC GOLD

Russian hockey team’s head coach Vyacheslav Bykov believes that all teams will be very dangerous at the coming Olympic hockey tournament.


Recent injury of Salavat Yulaev defenceman Oleg Tverdovsky became a surprise for everyone. "Ufa club doctors determined that he is not ready to help the national team at the Olympic games", said Bykov. "After that we decided to withdraw Oleg from list of reserve players".

"We won’t change this list and will take to Canada Eremenko, Koshechkin, Proshkin, Atyushov and Tereschenko".

"Rumours that Nikulin missed latest match of Ak Bars because of national team coaches’ demand are not true, Our doctors asked their colleagues from Kazan to give them information about Nikulin’s health and it became clear that he had almost recovered. He will be absolutely all right".

"Russia’s coaching staff is glad that Semyon Varlamov returned to action and sealed a victory in one of lower leagues. Alexandr Eremenko has been showing himself as real supporter of his country and national team for recent several years. He is ready to replace his colleague when it is necessary, however the 23-men list is completed and we cannot introduce any changes into it".

"I don’t think that question of who will be the standard bearer of Russian delegation is very important and I am not ready to comment on it. I asked Alexey Morozov about it and he told me that it would be an honour to be one of candidates for standard bearer".

"What will happen next, I am not to decide it. The national team’s coaches don’t mind if our captain is out of schedule for one day. As for omen that the standard bearer performs unsuccessfully at the Games, we don’t believe in it".

"Vyacheslav Bykov gave an interview after the Russian Hockey Federation committee yesterday. We have no other target besides winning the Olympic gold medals, he said to the journalists".

"Russia will have only one concern, as we will have to be afraid of all competitors, they will be very dangerous. Russia will play the first “final” in Vancouver against Latvia on February 16".

OVECHKIN SCORED HIS FIRST HAT TRICK THIS SEASON

The last game before the Vancouver-2010 of the main NHL stars Alexandr Ovechkin, Evgeniy Malkin and Sidney Crosby ended up with a splendid hat trick of the Washington superstar and 14th consecutive victory of his team.


The NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the NBC were forcing Washington and Pittsburgh not to cancel the match because of bad weather in the US capital.

The blizzard blustering in Washington this weekend (called Snovechkin among hockey fans) brought the transport systems to a standstill and many people feared that the Penguins would not be able to arrive.

But they did come (the road took them nine hours) and the match proved to be special. Alexander Ovechkin scored his first hat trick this season and added an assist in the overtime.

That was a beautiful good bye from Alex to his supporters before the Olympics for the last three matches the Capitals play on the road.

"It is always wonderful to win," said the hero of the match hardly catching his breath. "And it is also superb to score especially in such important matches. Moreover after such a bad start of the game."

"Our players have temperament and we deserved this victory."

"I think the weather interfered in the course of the match. We are used to the situations when supporters wind us up during the warm-up and this time many people were late for the start of the match because of the snowstorm."

"And it was unnaturally quiet for us. That probably threw us off our stride a bit. But in the third period supporters helped us and we would not stop."

"I am approaching my perfect conditions before the Vancouver. I must have this tempo."

HC LOKOMOTIV APPOINTS VOROBYEV

Pyotr Vorobyev has been appointed new head coach of HC Lokomotiv on Saturday.

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl have sacked Kari Heikkila and appointed Lada former head coach Pyotr Vorobyev. His returned to Yaroslavl nine years later became a surprise for many hockey experts and fans.

"I spoke to Yaroslavl club’s management several days ago", said Vorobyev. "I guessed that they would invite me to Lokomotiv, because the team is not very successful this season. I discussed possibility of my comeback to Yaroslavl only with my wife".

"On Tuesday I will hold the first training with youth team and in a couple of days we will begin preparations for the regular season and playoffs with full squad".

"Our main target for the rest part of the season is to achieve result, but it’s necessary to understand that results not always depends on the coach. At first we need to take maximum points in rest three matches".

LARIONOV: OUR BEST TEAM WAS IN 1980

Famous Russian centerforward Igor Larionov expressed his point of view on the coming Olympic games in Vancouver.


"I don’t like guess-work", said Larionov. "I passed through it all and now I just want to watch it from aside".

"I don’t like various calculations ahead of the tournament on which players will play together. They are not figures for table hockey, they are people with different way of thinking and different level of preparation".

"That is why I prefer not to trust predictions that Russia and Canada are the main favourites of hockey competition. For example I think that Americans are also very strong".

"Veterans’ role is very important for young teams. I was supposed to fulfill this role in Sault Lake City and at first I refused. I was 41, my career in NHL was close to an end and I wanted to win Stanley Cup that year".

"I thought that I would be too overloaded and moreover the national team had other experienced leaders, such as Pavel Bure, Sergey Fyodorov. But Vyacheslav Fetisov asked me to help and I agreed".

"I knew that I would spend seven or eight minutes on ice, but I don’t regret it. I played with talented youngsters Kovalchuk and Datsyuk at the Olympic games".

"To my mind the best Russian team was in Lake Placid in 1980 when I didn’t played. It was unbeatable team as there were no chances that it could have been beaten".

"I would be very happy if our team wins in Vancouver. Do you imagine what it will mean to the whole Russian hockey?"

"Americans won the World youth championship and right after the final they sold six or seven thousand tickets were sold right after the final. And I want to see it too, and I don’t want to analyze something before the Games".

ZUBOV: I AM A HOCKEY PLAYER, NOT POLITICIAN

Sergey Zubov, who recently announced about his refusal to go to Vancouver as reserve player, gave an interview to sport press.


SKA man Sergey Zubov called sport press correspondent after the match in Sokolniki, where he spend thirty minutes on the ice and was the only one player to score the shootout goal.

"After the KHL All-Star Game and departure to Novokuznetsk I was very busy", said Zubov. "That is why I had to talk to journalists at night, as I don’t have enough spare time".

"I didn’t expect that my announcement in sport press about my refusal to go to the Olympic games as reserve player would provoke big interest".

"I have been reading articles in mass media for these six days, read commentaries and online blogs. I was surprised that fans responded to my announcement aggressively, but most of all I was sad that atmosphere of the national team’s preparations for the Olympics had been disturbed".

"I am not a politician, I am hockey player and I don’t predict all my public moves unlike hockey ones. Moreover I haven’t lived in Russia for a long time and I haven’t restored my vocabulary yet".

"I think that most probably I was right except the harsh form of my refusal. At the same time I would like to introduce clarity in my announcement".

"Believe me that I have no claims to the head coach Vyacheslav Bykov. Slava and I are both products of HC CSKA, we played in one club and national team and we are in perfect relations".

"I know that he has done a lot to restore atmosphere in the national team and Russia’s two victories at the World Championships. I also know in which situation he is ahead of the Olympic games".

"My refusal was provoked by a call of administrator, who warned me that coaches take me to Vancouver as reserve player. I won’t hide that this conversation shocked me and the explanation is not in the fact that I would be in reserve. The main thing is the form how they informed me about it. To my mind people showed they are not professionals by behaving this way, and I was not ready for it after seventeen seasons of playing in NHL".

"I think that not all people deal with their own business in the Russian hockey and Bykov is just a hostage of this system. The team of managers should be responsible for formation of the national team’s squad and holding talks with players, while in Russia the head coach has to deal with this job".

"Vladislav Tretyak is famous former goalkeeper, the world hockey legend, he is manager of our national team, however managers’ work is something absolutely different from what we used to see in Russia. In NHL junior administrator or masseur would never call you and inform you that coaches take you to the team’s roster or not. It’s all manager’s responsibility".

"Each NHL player has his own agent and manager contacts him at first. That is the main reason why American and Canadian teams never face problems with the national team’s preparations".

HEATLEY: I HOPE NHL WILL LET US GO TO SOCHI

Sport press correspondent talked to San Jose Sharks winger and the best scorer of Canadian hockey team Dany Heatley.


The best scorer of Canadian national team in the World championships suffered three losses to Russia in recent four years. Taking into account Heatley’s friendship with Ilya Kovalchuk and his performances for Ak Bars in season-2004/05 the Canadian winger has special relations with Russia.

Press service of the Sharks gave russian correspondent an opportunity to talk to Dany Heatley, who is supposed to be one of Canada’s leaders at the Olympic games in Vancouver.

"I like Russians very much and I have many close friends from this country. One of my best friends is Ilya Kovalchuk, with whom we came to NHL and Atlanta. He is not only the great player, but also a real friend, and I can say the same thing about Vyacheslav Kozlov".

"I had perfect relations with many players in Kazan. You know no matter where I play I always find good Russian players, for example Anton Volchenkov in Ottawa and Evgeniy Nabokov in San Jose".

"Russian men like playing hockey and possess competitive spirit. They never want to lose and work very hard getting pleasure from the game".

"The Olympic games will begin soon and the main target for Canada will be to reach the final match and if Russia does the same thing it will be a really great match".

"Russia beat us in finals of two recent World championships and it’s impossible to forget about it. We want to take revenge on them as it would make us happy".

"Matches against Russia have always been historic events for Canadian team. If we meet in the final in Vancouver it will be a great ice battle".

"The World championship in Quebec in 2008 was special for Canada, since it was our first home world tournament. It was perfect and gave us many positive emotions".

"As for the loss in the final, it’s always painful. In our case it was even more unpleasant because we played at home and took two-goal lead ahead of the third period. Our future was in our own hands, but we let the opponents fight back and beat us".

"We should understand that hockey is popular kind of sport in many countries and there will be many good teams in Vancouver. And no teams are guaranteed a place in the final or easy way to the top".

"I hope that NHL will allow players to participate in the Olympic games in future. It’s very important and exciting when players from all over the world gather together to determine the strongest team".

"Both Stanley Cup and Olympic gold are important, but in different ways. Maybe Stanley Cup is even more significant, because you spend the whole your career in NHL and dream of winning this trophy every year".

"The Olympic games are on the second place, very close to the first one. Players think about them only once in four years unlike Stanley Cup".

NABOKOV: GOALKEEPER CAN WIN THE OLYMPIC GAMES

The World champion and the world’s best goalkeeper-2008 Evgeniy Nabokov gave an interview to russian sport press.


One of the NHL’s strongest goalkeepers, who has been defending colours of San Jose Sharks during nine seasons, Evgeniy Nabokov spoke to special correspondent Igor Rabiner, who visited North America ahead of Vancouver Olympic games.

"I really feel that time of the Olympic games is approaching", said Nabokov. "Everybody think and talk about it in San Jose".

"Maybe organizers of all pre-Olympic events and mass media are concentrated on the Games even more than players, because we will have to play in NHL at first. For example San Jose will play seven matches before going to Vancouver and we try to focus on them. And only journalists don’t let us forget about Olympic games for some time.

"Our club will have a six-match away series, we will arrive from Buffalo on February13-14 night and will depart to Vancouver next evening".

"I keep my famous Torino goaltender’s mask at home. I thought it’s impossible to give someone my mask from my first Olympics, so my three-year-old son Andrey plays with it now".