Ak Bars - SKA. Press-conference of Game Two

HC SKA head coach Vyacheslav Bykov:

- It was a really tough and close fight. Of course we are satisfied with the result, and we will now prepare for the next match.

- Why didn't Maxim Chudinov play? And will he take part in the next two matches in Saint Petersburg?

- He didn't feel too good. We'll see if he will play or not.

- There were some strange news reports in the press before the game. Did this affect the team in any way?

- If I'm honest, I don't read the press. I think that you should be promoting hockey, and not gossip. It's disappointing.

- Did you feel the nerves and tiredness during the third period?

- The 1:0 scoreline suited us.

- Was this game harder than the series with CSKA?

- We have a lot of respect for Ak Bars, and I don't think that we need to make comparisons. Our series with CSKA is already in the past.

- Is it the first time that you have come under such pressure?

- No, not at all. Each match comes with new pressures, whether they are large or small.

- Did you not worry when Alexander Svitov took out Mikko Koskinen?

- No.

- There will be a lot of build up to the next game in Saint Petersburg. Do you not feel that's psychologically it's easier for the players to play away?

- No, I don't think that it will add pressure. The players are professionals, and everyone understands what they have to do.

- How is Nikolai Belov feeling?

- I don't know yet, we will need to find out.

HC Ak Bars Kazan head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov:

- It was a good game. It's a shame that we couldn't score, but the series continues.

- What do Ak Bars need to change in order to achieve the desired result?

- We will look into it.

- Do you not think that Ak Bars have serious problems when attacking?

- What problems? No, I don't think so.

- How did Sheldon Brookbank perform? And why didn't Vladimir Denisov play?

- It was tough for him today, he hasn't played for a while. He didn't make any mistakes though, but found it hard. Vladimir Denisov was taken ill.

- Will the squad be changed around?

- I can't say yet.

- Is the goal not Ilya Nikulin's fault?

- Let's not talk about who was to blame. We conceded a goal, and for that the whole team is at fault.

- Will the series return to Kazan?

- We will try.