Dinamo Minsk - SKA. Press-conference

HC SKA head coach Sergei Zubov:

- It's hard to comment on such a match. You saw everything for yourselves. I congratulate the opponents with their victory. I will say one thing - if we will play like today in our next ten matches, we will win nine of them.

- Why couldn't you score on the powerplay?

- It wasn't our day.

- Can you say that Dinamo's goaltender won the game for them?

- The reply to that question is in my previous answer.

HC Dinamo Minsk head coach Andrei Kovalev:

- We prepared for this match. We knew that the opponents have masters of the game even in their fourth line, and they have one of the best powerplays in the league. Thanks to our guys for killing the penalties, they put their bodies in the way of pucks. Our game plan was to play carefully at the start of periods, as we know that SKA always begin aggressively. We took advantage of our chances, and our powerplay is good too. Against Barys we had 44 shots on goal but lost, today we had 25 compared to SKA's 50 and won. It happens in hockey.

- Why did you take so many penalties?

- SKA are a quick and strong individual team. There were some contentious penalty calls, but you have to foul when the opponents play with such a high tempo.

- How have you managed to get back in the playoff race?

- We played well in Astana and Ufa, but weren't lucky. Against Barys we shot on goal 44 times but lost, hockey goes like that sometimes.

- Is it a lot easier to play with your injured players back in the squad?

- Charles Linglet hadn't played for three months, and now he is nervous and isn't playing as powerfully as he did before. Paul also isn't in optimal shape.

- Nevertheless, the team are playing well.

- Thanks go to the team!

- What percent of today's victory was down to luck?

- The team which works hardest wins. The puck hit our posts around four or five times, however Alexander Popovich and Sergei Drozd blocked a lot of shots.