The entire period between the performances of Avangard and “Spartacus” attack Ilya Kovalchuk he kept himself in shape and did not stop training, the former Russian national team footballer and friend of hockey player Dmitry Parfenov told .
On Sunday, Spartak defeated Kunlun in the regular season match of the Fonbet KHL Championship with a score of 5:2. For Kovalchuk, this meeting was the first after his return to the KHL. The 40-year-old forward has not played professional hockey since winning the Gagarin Cup with Avangard as captain in April 2021.
— Ilya scored the puck, well done. I know he was preparing very seriously, I spoke to him a few days ago. When he “brought it”, I thought I absolutely had to “get rid of it” – throw it away myself. Finally I gave up, everything is fine. Ilya is in good shape. As far as I know, he hasn’t had a break as such – he’s always kept himself fit in one form or another. I was playing somewhere, practicing. God willing, it will continue to come out. Let him play as much as his health allows.
—How many points do you think he can score?
– As much as he has, everyone will belong to him. And how much more precisely – how he sets a goal in himself. Ilya does not need additional presentation, he will be important not only on the ice, but also in the locker room. It is important that the team is strong, and Kovalchuk is the person who contributes to this unity. I don’t think Ilya is the person who will shake things up, on the contrary, he will add team spirit to Spartak.
— You also missed a lot due to injury. But they still came back. Is it comparable?
– There is another story. Yet I struggled with the trauma itself, purely psychological. Different situations make comparison difficult.
— “Spartak” is a candidate for the Gagarin Cup?
— The guys are playing and enjoying the game. God grant that it continues. Perhaps journalists are euphoric about the result of the regular season, but Spartak has enough coaches and experienced hockey players to soberly assess the situation. Step by step, God willing, victories will come,” Parfenov told .
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.
