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".

BYKOV OFFERED TO STAY IN NATIONAL TEAM

The head coach of Salavat Yulaev and the Russian national ice hockey team Vyacheslav Bykov eyes his future in the team.


"Igor Zakharkin’s and my contracts are expiring in the middle of August," said Bykov. "But we have already received offers from the Russian Hockey Federation to continue our work with the national team."

"But it is formed now only generally. I presume that in the middle of July we will start our negotiations. The offer I got is on the one hand covers the entire Olympic cycle on the other hand it does not."

"I understand that this sounds rather vague but the nuances are to be discussed later during the official talks."

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."

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".

BYKOV WORRIED FOR RADULOV

The head coach of the Russian hockey team Vyacheslav Bykov commented on recent news of his team ahead of the Swedish Games match against Finland.


Yesterday Russian team made for Helsinki, where they will come up against Finland in Swedish Games clash today.

Russia’s coaches didn’t take one of the main KHL stars – Salavat Yulaev forward Alexandr Radulov – because of ankle injury. Meanwhile he is said to miss not only Euro Hockey Tour games in Sweden, but the World Championship in Germany too.

"I won’t hide that the national team’s coaching staff is worried about situation with Radulov’s injury", Vyacheslav Bykov said to sport press. "Unfortunately nobody is secured from injures, and we are concerned about all our players’ form".

"Our doctors are taking care of Radulov, and he is advised to have rest for minimum four days. But his mindset and his desire to help us and doctors’ predictions lets us count that situation will be improved by the start of the World championship on 7 May".

Several hours before this interview Phoenics of Ilya Bryzgalov slipped out of NHL play-offs. "We are waiting for our goalie in the national team", Bykov commented. "We hope that one of the most valuable players of NHL championship will rehabilitate after painful loss in the series with Detroit".

"President of the Russian Hockey Federation Vladislav Tretyak is responsible for work with our goalkeepers. We are likely to call Bryzgalov on Thursday or Friday".

Ilya Kovalchuk said that he had made decision to play for the national team in Germany. "Ilya is gentleman", said Bykov. "He expressed his desire to help his national team at the World championships during the season and he kept his word as real patriot of his country".

RUSSIAN COACHES UNVEIL THE SQUAD FOR SWEDISH GAMES

Coaches of the Russian hockey national team determined list of players who will take part in Swedish Games.


Yesterday the list of players was published at the official web site of the Russian Hockey Federation. This list includes following players:

Goalkeepers – Koshechkin, Khudobin, Eremenko;

Defencemen – Kulikov, Atyushov, Korneev, Kulyash, Kalinin, Denisov, Ryasensky, Belov;

Forwards – Afinogenov, Kulemin, Artykhin, Anisimov, Tarasenko, Lisin, Gorovikov, Sushinsky, S.Fyodorov, Kozlov, Radulov, Mozyakin, Svitov, Saprykin, Grigorenko.

Thus Vyacheslav Bykov and Igor Zakharkin rejected services of two CSKA forwards Filatov and Parshin after two friendly matches in Italy. Besides they took aside forwards Skachkov, Rybin, Krysanov, Varnakov, defencemen Vorobyev and Biryukov and goalkeeper Bobrovsky.

The national team squad was strengthened by Sergey Fedorov, Sushinsky, Viktor Kozlov, Grigorenko, Radulov, Mozyakin and three NHL players Afinogenov, Kulemin and Lisin.

The Swedish Games will kick off on Thursday.