MALKIN: DO NOT MAKE OVECHKIN OF ME

This week the regular NHL season is to start. Prior to this event one of the best Russian ice hockey players, forward of Pittsburg Evgeniy Malkin shares his plans for the season.


When Malkin arrived in NHL in 2006 he was very shy and despite great achievements he always stayed in shadows behind his peer Sydney Crosby and his coyness.

The Malkin of the autumn-2010 is completely different – he became a media star ready and eager to contact with the press.

"Nothing extraordinary has happened to me," said the forward. "There is no big news: no wife, no children. Though I had a very good holiday. Moreover, I trained well in August and am ready for the championship."

"I cannot say that I am worried about anything now but of course I want to start the season well at once not seeking the play during several matches. I want to make a strong start – to score a beautiful and an important goal from the first minutes, make an assist and win in the very first match. Hopefully it will come true."

"Do not worry that I am a winger in the line. Look at how Crosby plays. Nominally he is a centre forward but spends plenty of time in the corners, behind the goal. Partners stand by him in these episodes."

"This is the general system of our game and there is nothing tragic about my playing on the wing."

"But do not do an Ovechkin of me – I will never become a classical winger and will never shoot for a hundred times per game. I will remain myself!"

WHICH LEAGUE IS BETTER?

Yesterday a Russian club defeated an NHL club for the first time in twenty years when SKA outplayed Carolina Hurricanes 5:3.


SKA vs. Carolina – 5:3 (2:0, 1:3, 2:0)

Scorers: Panov, 1:0. Rybin, 2:0 – PP. Ruutu, 2:1. Dwyer, 2:2. Yashin, 3:2. Skinner, 3:3 – PP. Sushinsky, 4:3 – PP. Sushinsky, 5:3 – PP.

Goaltenders: Nabokov – Ward (Peters).

Three stars: Yashin (SKA), Sushinsky (SKA), Skinner (Carolina).

The star forward of SKA Alexey Yashin speaks about the anxiety with which people across the Atlantic experienced before the match.

"Many journalists called me, including those from New York and from the native for Carolina state, and asked me about the match," confessed Yashin.

"I offer you to concentrate only on ice hockey itself, without looking at great banners and headlines. For example, the game against Minnesota in Helsinki is much more important for Carolina, because it is a part of NHL regular season."

"I am against the desire to draw conclusions that the team that is to lose in the match represents the League where people cannot play hockey."

NABOKOV: CAROLINA FOUGHT AS IN NHL

The goalkeeper of SKA Evgeniy Nabokov and the forward Maxim Sushinsky comment on the performance of their team in the yesterday’s clash against the Hurricanes.


"Today was the first match in KHL when I saw really passionate and powerful support of our fans," said tired but happy Nabokov after the clash.

"On our home ice walls really helped us and SKA had a sixth player on the ice. Such manner of support is typical of NHL but it turned out that in Russia people could support in the same way."

"The importance of victory over Carolina? We were given an entire day-off, laughs the goalie. But we are not going enjoy this success for half a year."

"Though I think that for our team such a symbolic victory was important in order to unite feel self-confidence, feel that we are able of great achievements."

"Actually I expected that the NHL team would be ready to fight in any given moment. They were playing not in a pre-season manner at all."

"That is why never listen to analysts who will say that for Carolina it was only an exhibition game. They were combating as in a typical match of the NHL championship."

"At the moment Carolina can lament about anything – big sizes of the rink, new refereeing system, acclimatization," said the forward Maxim Sushinsky.

"But it will never call off the fact that our team was stronger than the NHL one. Especially in terms of technique. You all saw in what manner we scored the last, fifth goal."

SUMMANEN: JAGR’S PASSION HELPS AVANGARD

Avangard head coach Raimo Summanen is set to win the KHL championship with his team.


"I am ready to listen to people’s praising words only after victory in the final of play-off series", Summanen said to sport press. "I’ve never considered the second place as success".

"When Avangard managers offered me to head the team, our main target was clear as I was supposed to help the club return to the leading positions in the Russian league. In order to do it we just needed to reform the team before the season".

"It was even better that we began creating our team from the very beginning. When players went on vacations in spring, we were occupied by strengthening our squad. I always told our players during the trainings and trial matches that they should work fingers to the bone. We made good start of the season mainly thanks to their hard-work".

"Jaromir Jagr was doubtful about his future career in spring, while I needed his services. I am convinced that teams-champions can’t be formed without so top-class players like Jagr".

"And one more thing made me happy when the Czech star signed a new contract with us. I see inspiration in Jaromir’s eyes. He won the Olympic gold medals and Stanley Cup, but he also wants to win the title here in Russia. Ambitious teams urgently need such players. His passion helped his national team win the World Championship and now it helps Jagr be key figure in Avangard".

"Two years ago and last autumn I was ready to think over offers from KHL clubs, but those clubs chose other candidates. I don’t remember details of negotiations with Omsk team but I can say that after signing the contract I was the luckiest person in the world".

MOROZOV SET TO BREAK HIS RECORD

Ak Bars captain Alexey Morozov added one more achievement to his rich collection, as he scored the 200th goal in uniform of Kazan team in the match against Traktor.


"That evening was successful", Morozov said. "I managed to score my record goal and watch the Champions League game between Rubin and Barcelona".

"I have already missed one record goal in Minsk, where I scored the 250th goal in the Russian championship, but people told me about it the next day. After that I decided to pay more attention to statistics and I didn’t miss my record goal for Ak Bars".

"It’s pleasant to become the league’s record holder. Moreover I would be glad to break this record and reach the mark of 300 or 400 goals".

"All my goals are important for me, but most of all I remember the goal, which I scored in Gagarin Cup-2009 in crucial seventh match of the final series against Lokomotiv. Our team grabbed 1:0 victory and became the first champion in history of KHL".

CAJANEK: I SHOULD HAVE SCORED MORE GOALS

One of heroes of SKA vs. Spartak match Petr Cajanek, who scored two goals, answered sport press’ questions.


"The match was very important for us and for our opponents, so we were very happy that we won", Cajanek said. "Frankly speaking I didn’t think about our next match against Carolina, because the coming game is the most important for us".

"We created a lot of scoring chances and I could have scored approximately five goals. It’s good that we have scoring opportunities and I hope we will convert them into goals oftener".

"In hockey you can’t seal victories one by one easily. Hockey is always a fight and you need to prepare for the next clash".

"It’s pleasant that so many our fans came to the stadium to support us as it was great to play in so warm atmosphere. I know that matches against Spartak are special for our fans and I want to thank them for their support".

YASHIN: I AM HAPPY FOR SKA AND MY PARTNERS

One of the most popular Russian hockey players Alexey Yashin comments on the fact that he stays sidelined from SKA squad in recent matches.


The 37-year-old SKA leader was unexpectedly left in reserve in Monday away match against CSKA (4:3 SO). "You are better to ask coaches why I missed our two recent matches", Yashin said to sport press.

"I work hard during the trainings and fulfil my professional duties, and everything depends on the coaches’ decision".

"I understand everything, but according to conditions of my contract I have no right to comment on the decisions of the coaching staff. Moreover in this situation critics of coaches would be interpreted as a blow on SKA management".

"So let’s better talk about SKA’s latest achievements after we won in Riga and Moscow. For me it’s not so important whether I played or not, because my team won and it’s the main thing".

"I am happy for SKA and my partners. I suppose that I am still an important member of the Army team even now".

"I agree that beginning of the season was not very successful for us, but maybe only mass media waited perfect start from SKA. Players are in process of adaptation, as they learn to understand each other better. I am sure that we will improve our display during the championship".

ZHITNIK READY TO RETURN TO KHL

Defenceman Alexey Zhitnik could continue his career in KHL.


Former captain of Dynamo Moscow returned to the North America this summer, however he could move back to the Russian championship.

"North American clubs are not interested in age players", the 37-year-old player’s agent Mark Gandler said to sport press.

"That is why we wait for offers from KHL, but not from NHL. I think there are Russian clubs, which need to strengthen their defence".

DEMITRA SCORED HIS FIRST GOAL IN KHL

Lokomotiv star centre Pavol Demitra opened his scorers’ list in KHL in the match with SKA.


"First of all I used to think about making an assist to my partners, but not about scoring", Demitra said. "I used to play this way during the whole my career, and it’s impossible to change anything when I am 35".

"It’s always great to fire in a goal behind the league’s best goalkeeper. Evgeniy Nabokov played very well this time and saved SKA several times".

"SKA is one of the strongest teams in KHL and they have so many high-class players in the squad. But we showed real strength of Lokomotiv and that we can beat any other club of the league. Our team fully controlled the game, especially in the first and third periods".

"I get pleasure from playing in Lokomotiv. Atmosphere in the team is wonderful and everything is perfectly organized".

KOVALCHUK:There is nothing bad in SKA’s poor start of the season.

New Jersey forward Ilya Kovalchuk, who was hero of almost two-months summer saga concerning his contract with the NHL club, gave an interview to sport press.


"I tried not to think about summer problems with my contract", Kovalchuk said. "I was in Moscow at that time and I was concentrated on trainings and pre-season preparations. But in general I agree that this situation was unpleasant".

"I would like to say that assistance of New Jersey owner Jeff Vanderbeek and general manager Lou Lamoriello helped me a lot. They called me almost every day saying that everything would be all right and the league would approve my contract. I appreciate their help very much".

"I think that if you begin something, it’s necessary to finish this business. That is why I didn’t want to make harsh decisions and signed a contract with SKA".

"SKA was one of the most probable variants of continuing my career, if I failed to stay in New Jersey. I kept contact with Saint Petersburg club until the last moment and SKA management was interested in our cooperation".

"I am thankful to the president of the club and KHL Alexandr Medvedev who supported me in this tough situation".

"There is nothing bad in SKA’s poor start of the season, because they played only several matches. They forfeited their squad with new players, who need time to get used to each other".

"I feel that they are top-class players and the team has strong character. So I am sure that SKA will catch up with the other teams soon and restore their leading positions despite pressure from the side of journalists and fans".

"For example Ufa and Metallurg Magnitogorsk spend big sums of money for new players, however they are not so pressed by mass media. I want to wish good luck to SKA management and players"

KOSHECHKIN: I LIKE PLAYING HOCKEY

Severstal famous debutant Vasiliy Koshechkin comments on his team’s start of the KHL season.


Koshechkin made 28 saves and conceded only two goals from Torpedo in Severstal’s first home clash, but it didn’t help his team win as they suffered 1:2 defeat. He made four appearances in five matches that means that he replaced Slovakia’s Rastislav Stana as the first choice goalkeeper.

"I can’t judge who is our number one goalie, but I am happy that I have practice, just because I like playing hockey", Koshechkin told sport press. "I got fantastic feelings from Severstal matches!"

"We conceded five goals from Avangard, but I try not to focus on the failure and try to move forward. Avangard looked more powerful and that’s why they won".

"I don’t think that our fans won’t come to our home games because of our defeat in the first home clash, it seemed to me that our fans felt that we showed entertaining hockey and they supported us".

BYKOV BEATEN BY THE CZECHS AGAIN

Head coach of Salavat Yulaev Vyacheslav Bykov answered sport press questions after the lost match against Avangard.


Vyacheslav Bykov’s team suffered the first defeat in official games since the World Cup final in Cologne and again by the Czechs Jaromir Jagr and Roman Cervenka, as Salavat Yulaev lost to Avangard in a shootout series 4:5.

"Before the match we analyzed Avangard hockey and made several decisions", Bykov said. "As for Jaromir Jagr, he has been playing in Russia for several years, and our players perfectly know him".

"In general I understand journalist’ attention to the Czech players. After the World Championship they are in the center of people’s attention. By the way Salavat also has two Czechs – Jakub Klepis and Miroslav Blatak".

SUSHINSKY: JUST BE CALM

SKA captain Maxim Sushinsky tries to explain his team’s unsuccessful start of the season.


"One of the reasons of our unsuccessful start of the season is mass media, because there is too much negative around SKA", Sushinsky said to sport press. I" have a feeling that we are former CSKA, which got the best players for free and won twelve consecutive championships. Our team hasn’t won anything yet".

"People always pay more attention on big prosperous clubs and expect success from them, but I don’t see the same attitude to Omsk or Ufa for example. I try not to read reviews in Internet, but my partners discuss it and say that each our game causes a lot of comments. On the other hand, nobody can win Gagarin Cup on 21 September".

"We are a little bit concerned because we lost four matches out of six. We have very good team, and all players understand our problem and work hard".

"Absence of injured Petr Cajanek is a big loss for us, because we have been playing together for the second season and understand each other without any words. It’s clear that everybody is waiting for his comeback, but besides that leaders need to be calmer".

"I don’t understand what is the reason of journalists’ hate to SKA. We have never won anything, and suddenly became target for critics. Nobody kept us in mind when we were in background. Now when we are able to reach success, people criticize us severely".

"To my mind we just need to be calm".

BYKOV: OUR FANS LIKE OUR OFFENSIVE STYLE

Salavat Yulaev head coach Vyacheslav Bykov comments on his team’s bright start of the season.


Ufa club scored thirteen goals in two first matches of the season. "I think it’s record result in my career", Bykov said to sport press. "And of course so high efficiency makes me happy, but don’t forget that we conceded seven goals, that is too much".

"First of all I would like to praise our players, who perfectly prepared for the season. We introduced some changes to the team’s preparations and our tactical schemes, and from this point of view the final result satisfies us".

"I respect my colleagues, who achieve results thanks to defensive hockey, but on the other hand I understand our fans who pay money and come to the stadium not to see boring goalless draw. That is why we pay more attention to offensive hockey. It’s also important for us that our fans like it".

"As for my work in the national team, Igor Zakharkin and I are satisfied with our contract with the Russian Hockey Federation. Coaching job is very specific, as you need to prove your worth every year. We are ready for it and we agreed on the federation’s conditions".

"The gold is always the main option for us. Whatever we do we always keep in mind the coming Sochi Olympic Games".

PLATONOV: MY CLUB’S ACHIEVEMENTS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT

Metallurg Magnitogorsk’s Denis Platonov scored four goals in the match against Salavat Yulaev to head the list of KHL best scorers.


"I am not interested in my personal statistics, because my club’s achievements are more important", Platonov said. "I think we made one step in the right direction even though we suffered a loss in overtime".

"I don’t set the task to win the title of the league’s top scorer, since I repeat that my club’s success and Gagarin Cup are priority things for me".

"Many people criticized Metallurg after the first two games of the season, but you need to give us time for adaptation as we have new head coach Kari Heikkila. I promise that we will improve our results"

JAGR: I AM GLAD THAT CERVENKA SCORED TOO

One of KHL main stars Avangard forward Jaromir Jagr netted two goals in yesterday’s match against Severstal.


"I saw Kazakhstan team in action at Blinov’s tournament in Omsk", Jagr told sport press. "I know that it’s uneasy to play against them and they proved it by beating Barys away in the previous match".

"Our match could have been not so successful. The game was difficult, and I am happy that I managed to net my first goal this season".

"Our forwards played well, and I had a lot of unconverted scoring chances. I was glad that Roman Cervenka scored too, as I tried to assist him. We understand each other better than during pre-season preparations".

"I play both on powerplay and shorthanded, and it’s absolutely normal decision. When I was younger, I often played while shorthanded in NHL".

TIKHONOV: POPOV WAS HERO OF THE MATCH

Avangard assistant coach Vasiliy Tikhonov commented on the season’s opening match of his team, which is one of favorites of the Eastern Conference.


"It’s hard to start the season at home, because so many people came to the hockey arena to swatch their team playing, so we would be glad to play the first several matches away", Tikhonov said to sport press. "Moreover we had to battle with very dangerous club Spartak, which upset CSKA in their previous game".

"Spartak is well-organized team and we didn’t manage to escape mistakes, but I have no claims to our players. I think Avangard fans liked this match".

"Martin Skoula is well known figure in the world of hockey, and 800 matches played in NHL are his best characteristic. He is very stable player and he perfectly acts both on powerplay and shorthanded. His acquisition is serious reinforcement of our squad".

"Some people think that this defender was the best player of our match with Spartak, but I would name our forward Popov as the main hero, as he scored two goals".

"Jaromir Jagr was on a high in our pre-season tournaments, so we have no doubts that he will improve his play soon".

"As for Spartak’s star newcomer Dominik Hasek, I don’t think that he played his worst match. Frankly speaking, when I heard that he would join Spartak, I was skeptical about his age, however his performance proved that I was wrong. Hasek is in his peak form. We created a lot of scoring opportunities, but Hasek saved his team many times".

BARULIN: MAYBE I LACKED CONCENTRATION IN SHOOTOUT SERIES

Konstantin Barulin celebrated his return to Atlant from CSKA by a shut-out match against Torpedo.


"It’s pleasant to start the season with shut-out, and it’s a pity that my team didn’t win", Barulin said. "I don’t agree that the game was boring, because both teams played perfectly in attack. We haven’t converted a lot of chances, but it can be explained by the fact that we have many new players, who are getting used to each other and are afraid of making mistakes".

"I am not satisfied by my display in a shootout series, maybe I lacked concentration".

"CSKA offered me to sign the contract this summer, but the sum was not 4 million dollars for three years. I had a meeting with Sergey Nemchinov [CSKA head coach] who said: “We didn’t find common language with you during pre-season preparations, so we signed two other goalkeepers”. I was confused by these words, because he should have told me it earlier".

"I had offers from Astana, Minsk, Omsk, Nizhny Novgorod, but my wife was pregnant and I didn’t want to leave Moscow. That is why when I hear about Atlant variant, I didn’t think it over at all. I had played there before and fans know me well".

MOROZOV: DYNAMO PLAYED PERFECTLY

Poor performance of Ak Bars best link led by Alexey Morozov and Danis Zaripov became the main surprise of the KHL season’s first match in Kazan.


The captain of Ak Bars and Russian national team Alexey Morozov agreed to summarize the match in a short interview with sport press.

"We made awful start of the season, but agree with me that we don’t know how we will finish it", he said. "This match showed that we have enough room for improvement".

"Of course it’s bad that we lost, but we finally met with our fans who missed hockey. Unfortunately we didn’t manage to make them happy".

"Dynamo tried to keep 3:0 score after they scored the third goal, while we began attacking them as we had nothing to lose. Our goal gave us hope to save the match, but we failed to change the situation".

"Dynamo looked brilliant against us. We tried to do everything possible to win, because it’s the first match of the season. All teams open the season in different form, but our form next spring will be more important".

KHL: DYNAMO WINS THE OPENING CUP IN KAZAN

Dynamo Moscow outplayed Ak Bars 3:1 in the opening match of KHL regular season to grab the Opening Cup yesterday.


Ak Bars – Dynamo 1:3 (0:2, 0:1, 1:0)

Scorers: Balandin, 15:39 (0:1); Kolnik, 16:02 (0:2); Granak, 23:26 (0:3, PP); Pesonen, 46:06 (1:3)

Best players: Balandin (D); Strbak (D); Pesonen (A)

Dynamo looked complete and impressive, and their wise tactics for the match caused a lot of problems for the home side. Dynamo became the first club to win the KHL Opening Cup away.

"It’s unclear why we made so bad start", Ak Bars head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov said. "We played better in the second and third periods, created good changes, but unfortunately scored only once. It was hard to fight back from 0:3".