Igor Larionov speaks after beating Dinamo in Minsk

HC SKA head coach Igor Larionov:

“I would like to thank our guys for their character, desire and passion. Congratulations to our fans too, they’ve long been waiting to feel winning emotions again. We need to celebrate our success today and prepare for Thursday.”

Importance of winning…

“Any streak finishes in the end. If we look at the losing streak, there were some games in which we played well and could have won. When you suffer a few defeats in a row, you find yourself falling into a psychological hole and have to work hard in order to find the inner strength within. I’m happy with our performance level against CSKA in Moscow and tonight against Minsk. Yes, we’re still far away from the ice hockey which we want to see, but we’re improving. We have the right work ethic and are playing with character.”

Conceding the equaliser in the third period…

“Minsk are a strong team which displays quick, energetic ice hockey. When you play against such a dangerous side on their ice, it’s vital that you display commitment and character. I do hope that we’re on the right track. If we continue playing the right way and as a united team, we’ll achieve success.”

PP performance…

“We’re constantly making adjustments. We have to be patient. Our powerplay requires improvement, and we understand how important special teams are, but at least today we unleashed more shots. We’ll improve further once we gain more confidence. On the other hand, it’s pleasing that we didn’t allow Minsk to score on the man advantage. Special teams make the difference in close games.”