BYKOV: RUSSIA WON SILVER, NOT LOST GOLD

The head coach of the Russian national ice hockey team Vyacheslav Bykov talked about the national squad after the World Championship-2010 in Cologne.


"I want to emphasize at once that we did not get silver medals of the World Championship but we won them with our sweat, blood and injuries."

"I disagree with those saying that our team came to Germany firstly to revenge on Canada and only secondary to win gold. We arrived to win gold. And not to satisfy the players’ own ambitions but to make our supporters happy."

"Let us remember the match against Czech Republic. First shift. What were your impressions – that we conceded a goal immediately because were not ready to fight?"

"And we have different feelings. Fyodorov wins the face-off, Semin rushes forward overtaking the defenseman but falls down and hits his head against the board. Fyodorov also falls down, either slips or the guard pushes him. Meanwhile Semin is lying because it hurts."

"Czechs start their counterattack and Alexandr moves to the bench to let another player help the team but he is a bit late to close down the Czech who scored."

"All this was overmotivation, the desire to jump down throat. And we cannot blame Alexandr Semin. He could have kept lying on the ice – staging though it was not a simulation. But he tried to crawl to help his teammates but was late."

"What was this? Accident? No, it is called sports. The Czechs took advantage of this situation. All honour to them!"

"It was pure Russian-Czech gambit so to say that usually ends up with 1:0, 2:1 scores."

"It was a purposeful decision to bring to Cologne as many Olympic players as possible. We wanted to give the players a chance to play, they had preference while composing the squad. That is why I spoke about Cologne as of “penal battalion”. In Vancouver we made a slip."

"As for Kovalchuk I think he managed the role of captain very well. Though young he is a very strong man. And he has developed a lot since the three years we meet in the national squad."

"I was amazed at his reaction on our first call after his New Jersey stumbled out of the NHL play-offs. Where and when should I come? – were his words. I think that this spring it was Ilya who set an example of respect to his native land. And the others followed his example."

"If I am to remain on the position of head coach till the next championship and Kovalchuk and Morozov are both in the roster I think Ilya will be captain. He is a representative of a new generation that is to pass on a baton. By the way Alexey and Ilya are friends and I do not expect any troubles with captain nomination to arise."

"It is pointless to judge our squad saying that people overestimate it or not. We chose the best to represent our country. But I think that we can be proud that our supporters want to see us only in the forefront."

"After a long break we have not only won bronze, two golds and a silver of the World Championships but our supporters again felt the taste of victories and demand perfectionism from us!"

RUSSIA LAYS DOWN CHAMPION’S CROWN

The Russian ice hockey national team surrendered to Czech Republic yesterday and failed to defend the world champion’s title.

IIHF World Championship.

Final

Russia vs. Czech Republiс – 1:2 (0:1, 0:1, 1:0)

Scorers: Klepis – 0:1. Rolinek – 2:0. Datsyuk – 2:1 (PP).

Probably the most motivated teams of the tournament met in the final of the world championship for Czechs desired not less than our players to whitewash after the Vancouver-2010.

Moreover it was the last chance for the superstar of the Czech team Jaromir Jagr to win a serious international title at the decline of his career.

The forward of Avangard expressed his wish to meet Russia in the final on Thursday when his team outplayed Finland in the quarterfinal shootout.

"I believe that we will compete with Russian for the golden medals here in Cologne," said Jagr. "Just because such a clash would have been a real hit of the tournament that has not happen for a long time already at the highest level."

The Czech team improved throughout the tournament from match to match. Moreover they did not experience any psychological tension for all specialists would bet Russia a winner.

For the Russian team the yesterday’s match was additionally principal, for it could have a decisive impact on the future of the coaching staff of our team. A lot has been said about the work of Bykov and Zakharkin and their contract expiring in August this year.

Russia started the final with an optimum squad. Semin returned after some rest to the team and Sushinsky on the contrary did not impress in the semifinal.

The head specialist of the national team on goalies Vladislav Tretyak explained why they gave the first choice goaltender of the team Varlamov a chance to rest during the semifinal clash: "Semyon complained on Friday that it is very difficult to play to such important matches in a row. And that is why Koshechkin appeared on Saturday and he would not let the team down."

Hardly had the game started as Russia conceded. Being very angry the Bykov’s team rushed forward and the Czech defence let more than the German the day before but the goalie of our opponents Tomas Vokoun displayed wonderfully.

Datsyuk scored a goal at the very end of the first period but it was disallowed by the referees after watching the record.

Our attack looked hopeless and moreover Ovechkin knocked down Fyodorov and left our team without a center forward.

But the last chances to equalize were wiped out by the referees who awarded Emelin a match penalty and left the Russian team shorthanded for five minutes. But the body check against Jagr was hardly enough for a simple two-minute penalty.

After five minutes of penalty killing Russians had no energy for the final onslaught. We even failed to net the puck at 6 against 3 combination. And the goal of Datsyuk with 36 seconds to play did not change anything.

Russia failed to win a single trophy in the Olympic year and defend the title of the world’s champions.

KOVALCHUK CONFIRMED ENDING OF THE BOYCOTT

The captain of the Russian national team Ilya Kovalchuk spoke to the sport press correspondent yesterday about the boycott against the press.


"I confirm that the boycott is over," said the player. "It was introduced because people should think what they are doing."

"When such videos are broadcast on federal channels it is just disrespect to the players. And that is why it all happened."

"One thing is yellow press but you should not show such things on channels accessible to everybody – children are watching it. What for is it done?"

"I do not think that our reaction was too tough. I only cannot perceive why people started to say that we turned our backs on the supporters. I cannot understand the connection between press and fans."

"We decided to stop the boycott because it is enough. We hope nothing of the kind will ever happen again and we will not have to behave we did."

MESSIER: WE CAME TO WIN GOLD

The head manager of the Canadian national team, six times Stanley Cup winner, Mark Messier gave an interview to sport press prior to the World Championship quarterfinal match between Canada and Russia.


"On Tuesday I was not upset it is not the right word. But I was naturally disappointed because of the loss to Czech Republic," said Messier. "And it is a normal feeling when a match is lost."

"I am satisfied with the selection I undertook. Understand me correctly: disappointment in the loss does not always mean disappointment in the game."

"For every player the World Championship is a wonderful opportunity to get unique experience, play different ice hockey compared to what they are used to. Now in the quarterfinals we are to play the strongest national team – Russian – and that brings in high level and great responsibility."

"While picking up players for the national team we had to take into account a lot of different factors. This year is special. I would say there is too much ice hockey in it. So it is quite natural that not everybody is striving to get to the Worlds Championship."

"But on the other hand in Canada there is a big choice of not only players but also of coaches and people doing managerial work. This makes it possible to gather a team ready to do work of highest difficulty."

"I think it was a right decision to send in Germany a young team. To some extent this is a guarantee of our future successes."

"We arrived at the tournament with desire to win golden medals as many other teams. I think that lack of experience cannot be an excuse for bad play."

"Such a match as against Russia is special in itself. It is a match where both teams are highly aimed at victory."

"To tell the truth our players are looking forward to the quarterfinals a lot because your national team – the one that arrived in Germany – is very strong. This match can become a special moment in ice hockey history."

BYKOV: OUR PLAYERS ARE FIERCE

The Russian national ice hockey team meets Canada today in the quarterfinal match of the IIHF World Championship.


"Any match against Canada is always a challenge for our team no matter what tournament it is," said the head coach of the Russian national team Vyacheslav Bykov.

"And the current championship is no exception. We did not choose our opponent, did our work and if the situation turned out this way this is fate."

"Well of course we can try and make some conclusions concerning the performance of the Canadian national team at the group stage. But you understand that a match against Russia is as big a challenge for them as for us."

"They are preparing very seriously to this match no matter how they played in the previous games. Those matches do not show what the opponent look like."

"They will try to play their hockey and neutralize our leading players. And I am not eager to open our trumps though I can say that our players are fierce."

"We will do our best to prepare for the match, to oppose the powerplay of the opponent [Canada has the highest percentage of PP goals at the tournament]."

"These figures show that though the squad of Canada is young they are very skillful and talented. But we have also done a lot of groundwork."

"In any case we should reinforce our play especially in defence. Probably there will be some changes in tactics."

RUSSIA CRASHES DENMARK AND ABASH JOURNALISTS

On Saturday the Russian national team outplayed Germany 3:2 and yesterday overwhelmed Danes 6:1 thus securing a spot in the play-offs in advance.


The correspondents of thirty Russian newspapers were shocked: after a victory over Denmark neither (!) of the Russian players stopped to talk to the press in the mixed zone.

They called Ovechkin, Koshechkin, Malkin and Gonchar so much awaited at the tournament. The stars who talked so much about their love to the country, supporters and the national team would not turn their heads.

Somebody told referring to Maxim Sushinsky that the national team was to set up a boycott. Against whom? What for?

Probably the team gave a silent treatment after a notorious video with the players smoking in the restaurants and refused to communicate with their country. They evidently are annoyed with only victories and decided to escalate the atmosphere.

The head coach of the Russian team Igor Zakharkin appeared rather nervous and started to answer questions of the press.

"I am ready to answer your questions concerning the game," said Zakharkin. "All other questions address to Bykov at the press conference."

"The newcomers played a wonderful match – Malkin, Gonchar and of course Datsyuk. When a team wins 6:1 there can be no complaints against anybody."

"Malkin successfully joined the combination of Datsyuk and Kovalchuk. Gonchar brought in stability. The goalie played wonderfully."

"All in all there was no tension in defence though the opponent was well organized. One of the incentives why the guys arrived here is to try and recover in one of the main tournaments of the year. The motivation is very high in the team."

"I am not ready to answer whether Sushinsky and Mozyakin will be only subs at the World Championship."

"In the next game the goalie will be most likely Semyon Varlamov. And the pair of goalies for the play-offs is likely to be as follows – Varlamov and Koshechkin."

"Denmark is not that opponent and that success we all waited for. This is all just working days for us. And that is why we do not look very happy."

The head coach of the national team Vyacheslav Bykov was very emotional talking about the boycott of his players.

"You do not understand what is going on, do you?" exclaimed Bykov. "But try to walk in the players’ shoes for one time who are being dragged through the mud ever since the Vancouver-2010."

"Everybody is flinging mud on them – all papers, all magazines! This was the decision of the team!"

"I do not know how long this boycott will take. But I promise that three players will appear in the mixed zone after every match in conformity with the regulations."

"Of course I will try to talk to the guys but I cannot promise to change anything."

BYKOV: I LIKED THIS GAME

Russian hockey team head coach Vyacheslav Bykov is satisfied with his team’s match against Belorus at the World Championships.


"I liked this match", Bykov said to begin press conference. "We had been playing well for two periods, but made several mistakes in the third one. In general I am satisfied with the game".

""Next we will play against Germany. They are strong rivals, who show dynamic hockey and who have several players able to lead the team to victory. So we will need to perfectly prepare for the match".

"I am not afraid that the whole stadium will support Germany. Local fans are always with their national team regardless their results. We hope that our compatriots will support us too".

After press conference Bykov talked to the Russian journalists too. "Evgeniy Malkin’s club finished playing in NHL yesterday", he said. "We are ready to talk to all our players, and if Malkin wants to join us in Cologne, we will surely give him this opportunity. We have right to add new players to the roster one hour before the game. On Friday Pavel Datsyuk will come to Cologne, but he won’t take part in our training".