How many 18 year old guys do you know who can take 10-11 shots per game in the KHL? If you don’t know, get to know it – it’s Matvei Mishkov which SKA rented to “Sochi” .
An interesting statistic: in two seasons in St. Petersburg, where Michkov was allowed to play four matches, he did not shoot on goal once. In general, absolute zero. But last season in Sochi he made 3.8 shots per game, and now this figure has increased to 4.8 shots per game on average.
Know that the KHL leader in this sense is Avangard defender Libor Shulak (4.3 shots per game). Considering the St. Petersburg context, Michkov’s statistics are 3.8 shots per game this season. But at 18, he could well become the best shooter in the KHL.
Let’s make a comparison with a standard player: Alexander Ovechkin made 6355 shots in 1347 matches during his career. On average, that’s 4.72 shots per game.
We met Matvey at Megasport before his match in Sochi against Spartak.
“I won’t say that my opinion is anything special”
— Matvey, what is your feeling before the Spartak – Sochi match?
— Hockey is always a holiday, and today’s game is no exception. We are preparing for it very seriously. Spartak is a good opponent on the move. Now, together with the Sochi coaching team, we analyzed our game, as well as that of the Spartak players. We will be ready in the evening.
— SKA loaned you out and you immediately started playing in Sochi.
– In fact, in this game we still need to add more – both in team terms and in personal terms. There is no limit to improvement, to the desire to perform better and better. You need to go forward. I hope that in the future my game will only improve. And every match will be victorious.
— You average 14.16 minutes per game in Sochi. Compared to SKA, your playing time has tripled. Are you ready to hit the ice even more often?
– I feel good. I try to do everything so that the team wins. I’m happy that my playing time has increased – God grant that it continues like this. But the main thing is that Sochi wins more often. This is our most important goal.
— You scored a brace in the match against Traktor and scored the winning goal. The day everything went well?
– It’s always nice to score, like any hockey player – that’s what he plays for, to score a goal. Unrealistic emotions when you score the puck. Also, I couldn’t score in four matches before. It’s good that my partners helped me do this. This was to the detriment of my teammates, due to collective play.
And I wouldn’t say there’s anything special about the take. All the guys played very well. We lost 2:3 in the 51st minute. But they scored a very important goal when Kirill Rasskazov shot and struck well. And in the last minute we scored the winning goal.
But this game is already a thing of the past. Now it is important to play well against Spartak.
“I always admired Sergei Mozyakin’s wrist shot”
— How has Sochi become stronger compared to last season? Then you didn’t make the playoffs.
— It would probably be a mistake for me to compare. Let the comparisons be made by analysts and experts of all kinds. But this year we have a very good team and we have every chance of qualifying for the playoffs. We face great challenges. And our team is very friendly, supportive, with character. This Sochi can and will win.
— You take a lot of shots per game. In the match against Siberia, they had as many as 10 shots on target. Is it important for you to be so focused on the frame?
“I think there won’t be a goal without shots.” And the more you throw, the more you score. If there’s an opportunity to shoot on goal, I’ll definitely take it. I always have one task: to score a goal. Of course, this is not always possible. But if you don’t shoot, there will be no goals. I believe the more you pitch, the more wins the team has.
— Is it true that you asked the club to create a throwing area next to the arena?
– No, this area existed before. I won’t say that I go there every day. But I come after the matches, especially if they have not succeeded. Yes, I try to shoot a lot not only during the game, but also after the game – in this zone, throwing the puck into an empty goal.
— Who has the best wrist shot and the best shot in the KHL?
“I never even thought about it.” Many players throw well. And it is impossible to single out one hockey player among all. At the same time, there is no such unique throw as that of Sergei Valerievich Mozyakin. I watched him play and admired his throw. It’s very precise and cool.
— SKA tried to place you at center forward. Doesn’t this happen in Sochi?
– No, we now have a good center in our trio, Amir Garayev, who wins faceoffs very well. So far I don’t have any such work, but I am always ready. If necessary, I am ready to play anywhere.
— How much did the powerful physical foundation laid by the SKA in August help you?
— I think the results can only be summed up in the middle or end of the season. It’s too early to talk about it. But I feel very good, physically and psychologically. I have prepared a lot for this season. We will try, train more and improve in all components.
“It’s great to have so many fans”
— What was your reaction when many people on social media in North America started discussing your remaining on the SKA bench? You have a very big fan club.
— It’s very nice and cool when you have so many fans. It always gives positive emotions. I’m pleasantly surprised that they watch me so much there and that they like hockey. But now I’m playing in the KHL, and that’s all I can think about. My season is currently underway, I play for Sochi, so all my goals are now only related to this team and the regular season.
— But do you watch the highlights of Philadelphia’s exhibition games?
— Everyone watches the best moments. But the regular season has not yet started there. When it starts, we’ll watch. There is some spectacular hockey in the NHL, and it’s always nice to see the guys playing at such a high level year after year.
— It’s clear you want to see Sochi qualify for the playoffs. But for you personally, do you set a goal for the season? For example, score 20 goals or score 50 points.
– Yes, of course – such thoughts exist. But I’m not ready to divulge them yet. When I reach them, I will talk about them. There is no need to speak now, so as not to hurt him.
Watch live broadcasts of the Fonbet KHL championship matches on the channel, as well as on the matchtv.ru and sportbox.ru sites.
Source : MatchTV
I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
