“If we come out toothless, then let’s remember that we are CSKA, that’s not our approach” – Fedorov

Head Coach CSKA Sergei Fedorov was unhappy with the team’s performance in the Fonbet KHL Championship match with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk.

The meeting ended with the victory of the army team in extra time with the score 5:4. The author of the winning goal was striker Vladislav Kamenev, who with 3 points (1+2) became the most productive player of the match.

– Such a start to the game is unacceptable for our team, – Fedorov quotes the club’s official website. – I will not say that it was bad, but we were a little inferior in speed, in the length of shifts. Not everything went the way we wanted to see it. The game was so difficult. Let’s work on psychology. We have to respect ourselves, respect the opponent and the situation where we almost completely saved the team. That should be appreciated. There is something to think about. Not the best feeling for the coaching staff. I think the players understand that too. If we put on a uniform with the inscription CSKA on the chest, we must give the best of ourselves from the first minute.

– What can you say about the game of the Dietz-Nesterov pair? Indeed, in the last game, several goalscoring opportunities at the gates of CSKA occurred in their presence.

“I watched those moments. Other players who were on the pitch were also involved in those moments. They didn’t run there, they cut it here, suddenly it all fell on the defenders, so they didn’t look their best. But it’s definitely a collective topic, we’ve already sorted it. I hope the guys have understood that the puck has to be placed correctly and not lose it in our sector when we have the initiative.

– Are there fundamental differences between today’s match and the match against Metallurg?

– As I said, with Metallurg we played three different periods. And today was the same. We started both games unsuccessfully, we still don’t understand that we are a serious irritant. You need to tell the guys about it. Some steps should be taken in this direction. We have to understand how we want to play and if we have the potential to play the 60 minutes in a solid, confident and regular way.

– CSKA now adopts the “Brazilian system”: you score as much as you can, and we – as much as we want. Visible safety margin. How do you manage to push the lever so that the team transforms and regains any handicap?

“I like that saying too, but it shouldn’t apply to us. We can’t play like that. We substitute both morally and physically for such a game. We catch a lot of pucks, shots , we play in the minority. The actions of the players lead to it. They must understand that hockey must be respected. I hope that the experience we have gained will help to understand that such a game is useless.

– Are fresh forces expected for the match against Ak Bars?

– Not. We will play with the same group as today.

– Are you more upset that you have to win back or are you happy that the team is getting results?

– Of course, the first. Why sink into such a hole, why force yourself? We have to play well, we can do it. We have a great job. It’s psychology, we’ll have to work with it. I don’t think we have the right to bring our games to such a state, the rhythm, the gameplay is collapsing. If we go out toothless, we are beaten by two periods, and then we remember that we are CSKA, it is not our approach.

– Did you decide before the game that in overtime, when a throw in someone else’s zone, the goalkeeper would not come back on the ice?

– The decision came after we successfully changed, took the initiative. I already knew that the goalkeeper would stay on the bench.

In the next regular season match, CSKA will host Ak Bars Kazan, while Neftekhimik will play away with Dynamo Moscow. Both meetings will take place on September 5.

Official website of HC CSKA