Dynamo Minsk finished the hockey season by losing the series against Dynamo Moscow in six matches. The Belarusians failed to advance past the first round of the playoffs for the eighth time in a row. But Dmitry Kvartalnov’s team can count this season as an asset, because they definitely put up a fight for the winner of the Continental Cup.
From an interview with one of the leaders of Dynamo Minsk Vitaly Pinchuk you will learn:
“I rate the season at four minuses on a five-point scale, the injury ruined everything”
— What did the team lack to move the series to Game 7 in Moscow?
– As trivial as it may seem, we lacked implementation. We had to score goals, we had chances for that. In the first half we scored two one-on-one goals for me and Fritz. But the second goal was not enough, it would have turned the tide of the match.
— Before the series with such a formidable opponent as Dynamo Moscow, could you imagine that you would impose such a serious fight on the regular season champion?
– Of course we thought we could move on to the next round. Despite all the fuss that arose around our confrontation. Everyone unanimously said that they would beat us easily and the score in the series would be 0:4. But, as you can see, we forced a fight and, if we had not given up our matches that we were obliged to win, we could have easily passed the first round. Or at least move the series to game seven.
— How important was it for you to play at least six matches in the series in order to give Minsk a third playoff match at home?
— Our fans are the best! We thank them for supporting us, whatever the outcome. They don’t leave the stands, they continue to applaud until the final siren. I will always repeat: “Minsk has the best fans. »
— Who are the three players you had the most difficulty playing against in this series?
— Wil, it was hard to play against him on faceoffs. Puckett was a very boring player, a clingy hockey player. And I will quote O’Dell: we are two central players, and he plays well at the faceoff point.
— Evaluate the season in terms of personal progress.
— I had a short season due to an injury. The first part turned out to be very cool, I was really happy with my game. But an injury spoiled everything, and already in the second part of the season he played not in the best way. They expected something different from me. I rate the season a four minus on a five point scale. It seems, judging by the points, that he tried to make himself useful, especially in the regular season. But that didn’t help in the playoffs.
— At the beginning of the season, Dynamo head coach Kvartalnov was very unhappy with foreign players and their game. Then it seemed that everything was not going well in the team. Have you managed to correct this situation by the end of the season?
— The guys probably had an adaptation. Many of them spent their first season in the KHL. For any hockey player, it’s a lot of stress to move to a new country and start playing, one might say, another type of hockey. As you can see, by the end of the season, everyone had gotten used to it. Everyone in the locker room was on the same page. Therefore, it turns out that everyone influenced the result: the Russians, the legionnaires and the Belarusians.
— How is communication going in the locker room?
— Most of the players here communicate in Russian. But 70 percent of players speak English well. This is why we also communicate there. Plus some hockey slang and life advice.
— Which of the legionnaires did you best establish contact with?
— You try to communicate with everyone equally. But it probably worked better with Sam [Энэсом], because I sat next to him in the locker room for more than half the season. And with Rob [Хэмилтоном] since he is already practically his own boyfriend, he knows the Russian language very well.
“I would like Traktor to win the Cup, I like this team, their style of play, their effort.”
— Where is the most unexpected place where you have been recognized as a hockey player?
— Once we found out at the airport and in Moscow. Even if there are a lot of people. It was very unexpected.
— How important is it to rest after such a season, since it is possible that there will be another series of matches between Belarus and Russia U25?
— If they call you to join the national team, I will always be happy to help you. I am ready to play with any opponent: whether it is Russia or Kazakhstan.
— This season, Ilya Kovalchuk played in the KHL, announced Nikolai Khabibulin. Have you heard any echoes of this news?
“It’s cool that these players can perform at this level at this age.” This shows great skill. They are true hockey legends and I have a lot to learn from them.
— Predict who will ultimately win the Gagarin Cup?
– Difficult question. Dynamo Moscow has a strong team. And SKA can win. But I would like Chelyabinsk Traktor to win the Cup, I like this team, their style of play, their efforts. Additionally, this team is now the lowest ranked.
— What do you remember most about this season?
— That I had a good time during this particular period. There were good results at the beginning. During the first matches, I even became one of the top scorers in the championship.
— If you had the opportunity to be guaranteed to defeat an opponent next season, who would you nominate?
— Probably SKA. Because we’re already doing a sort of derby with them.
— What goals do you set for next season?
— I want to take on the role of leader. You have to try to score points with foreign players and try to help the team as much as possible.
Watch live broadcasts of the Fonbet KHL Championship playoff matches on the Match Group channels, 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.
