BYKOV: 0-2 IN THE SERIES IS NOT A PROBLEM

Salavat Yulaev head coach Vyacheslav Bykov assesses his team’s chances to beat Ak Bars in Eastern Conference finals after two home defeats.


"I wouldn’t dramatize our situation", Bykov said to sport press. "Actually we lack only one thing now – chances conversion, as attacking and holding initiative doesn’t give any positive result".

"Our critics believe that Salavat loses the series in tactics. Ak Bars was ready that Ufa side would rush to attack, and now they score on counterattacks. Opinions on this question can be different and we listen to them all".

"At the same time we think that there is no sense in changing our attacking and entertaining hockey, which guaranteed us the top place in regular season. Finally hockey is created not only for specialists and journalists, but for our supporters too".

"First of all fans like not traps, but goals and combinations. We are not going to play defensive hockey".

"When I played in Switzerland, I fought back from 0-2 behind not once. By the way, many our players also topsy-turned this score and won, so our situation is normal".

"Episode when Toresen challenged Ak Bars captain Alexey Morozov in the opening clash of the series and was suspended for the next match, was much discussed, but I don’t know what we can say about it. Everybody saw his stroke and referees understood the situation correctly".

"Several people believe that matches in Kazan will be played according to different scenario. Ak Bars won’t play the second violin at home in front of their fans and Salavat Yulaev will get enough space for attacks".

"I am not sure that it will be really so. To my mind Ak Bars will let well alone. They have system, which brings result, and they are likely to use this system at home too".

"Speaking about national team matters, Russia’s coach for the North America Andrey Nazarov has completed his overseas journey last week. Of course we are concentrated on the KHL series now, but our coaching staff kept contact with Nazarov and got all necessary information from the North America".

"I am satisfied with results of this trip, because Nazarov has done great deal of work in short period of time. Now many Russian players are aware that we remember about them and count on their services. Andrey collected interesting information for us".

"Nazarov will likely to come to Ufa on 7 April and we will summarize his overseas trip".