Head coach of Sochi Sergei Zubov in an interview with he explained the reasons for the defeat SKA Since “Motorist” in the second round playoff series KHL .
In the Gagarin Cup for the 2023/24 season, a cross-playoff system was in force: from the second round, teams from the Western and Eastern conferences could meet. Zubov worked as an assistant to Roman Rotenberg at SKA. In the second round, the St. Petersburg team lost to Avtomobilist – 1–4.
— You only played two matches with Avtomobilist in the regular season. We knew this team less well than our Western Conference opponents. Did this become a problem for the SKA coaches when preparing for the playoffs against the Avtomobilist?
— There was no problem in this regard. Now the play of all teams can be analyzed via video. We just got caught by a “hot” team, that’s why we got this result.
— At the same time, SKA spent a lot of time in the Avtomobilist zone, creating chances. What was ultimately missing?
“Somehow we were unlucky, we couldn’t convert our chances. We created a lot of opportunities in attack. But at times the Avtomobilist defenders played very well, and in some cases the goalkeeper came to the rescue. “Avtomobilist” was in a good mood after beating “Ak Bars” in the first round, they achieved a lot.
— One of Avtomobilist’s strengths in the playoffs was counterattacks with a numerical advantage. It was largely thanks to them that Yekaterinburg beat Ak Bars. Why couldn’t the SKA cope with it?
— Avtomobilist focused on this component. They have fast guys – Golyshev, Makeev, Khripunov, who sense the moments when they need to intercept and run away. They made great use of their opportunities,” Zubov told .
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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.
