Avangard - SKA. Press-conference

HC SKA head coach Vyacheslav Bykov:

- We perfectly understood the situation. Avangard are searching for their game, and we are too. We can't afford to drop points at the moment, as we have competitors for the play-offs all around us. We are working over our problems, especially when it comes to our defence and our game overall. Defensively we were solid in the third period. We are satisfied.

- Do you have any chances in which to catch up CSKA?

- You know, our main goal is to perform well in the play-offs. Yes, it would be nice to become Russian champions, but our priority is to prepare correctly for the play-offs. Any coach will tell their team to win, and I am no different. We try to win every match in which we play in.

- Artemiy Panarin has become SKA's leader, and one of the KHL's best players. Can he also become one of the Russian national team's top performers?

- I hope so, and I want him to become a world champion. He is a player with a lot of talent, and he is a very nice person to converse with. He is always trying to progress, and that is very important. Hopefully everything will be fine with him.

- Could Konstantin Barulin sign for SKA next season?

- I want to praise Konstantin, as he played in one of my teams before and I know his potential. I wish him luck. About next year, then first of all we need to finish this campaign well. As you can see, we have a great goalkeeping trio: Mikko Koskinen, Igor Shestyorkin and Ilya Ezhov. I wish Konstantin luck, but with Avangard.

- Alexander Popov has been called up to the Russian national team. As an ex manager of the team, what do you make of this?

- This is Oleg Znarok's business, and his decision. We are always very happy to send our players to the national team. I know that Alexander is an experienced player, and and the dynamics and movement which he has can help the team - he is a world champion. That is my personal opinion.

HC Avangard head coach Raimo Summanen:

- Congratulations to SKA. It was a good, tight game, and SKA deserved the win. Our players gave their all, and that's the good thing for us.

- After being out for so long, how did Konstantin Barulin play?

- He doesn't just play well on the ice, he has a presence in the locker room - he gives our players lots of confidence. His knee isn't 100%, but his desire to play shows how he is a good Russian sportsman. He thinks about the team, and then himself.

- The team played a lot quicker than in the past few games today.

- We had a specific plan to make the play-offs, and then play our best hockey. We will do that. As I have said before in the summer, one year we won the regular season and then lost immediately in the play-offs. I saw that it's hard to win both tournaments. I really believe in my team, and we will be very fast in the post-season. I am old enough to see how things will work out - we and the players all have one vision. The regular season is the regular season - the play-offs are a different matter. Let's just all take it easy.

- Avangard lost a lot of pucks in the neutral zone.

- Early on in the game we lost possession a lot. Denis Parshin wasn't well at all, and he should have stayed at home even if he did help the team at times today. Going back to the question, yes that was one of the weakest aspects of our game today. SKA have a very good team with a good system, and against them it is important to play well in the neutral and defensive zones.