Georgy Solyannikov: "I am really happy to win my first KHL match for SKA"

HC SKA defenseman Georgy Solyannikov:

- This was my first game in the KHL for SKA, I'm really happy that it was a victorious one for me and the team. I am glad that I've achieved this moment in my career.

- It was SKA's first match in the retro jersey.

- It's a great design which unites the past and the present. I really like it.

- How difficult was this game against Dinamo Minsk?

- Only the first period wasn't too tough. Dinamo Minsk are a quick, dangerous team with lots of high-quality foreigners, it would have been very dangerous to start relaxing. They were close to equalising again in the closing stages but, thankfully, we kept them at bay and won.

- You are back in the KHL again. How do you feel?

- I was a bit nervous at first during the warm-ups, but when the game started, I didn't have any tension.

- The second period wasn't great for SKA. What was lacking?

- The position of the benches changes matches in the second period. Maybe we took our foot off the gas as a result of leading 1:0.

- SKA went down to playing with only two defensive pairings in the final minutes of the match.

- It was difficult. As a consequence of feeling tired, you often start making stupid mistakes which wouldn't normally happen.

- Your goaltender Dmitry Nikolaev saved SKA on a number of occasions.

- That's his job. When we committed errors, he made the big saves and worked at 100%.

- When was the last time when you played in almost every shift of a period?

- It happened a month ago with SKA-Neva in the VHL, we only had five defensemen and sometimes we took penalties.

- Do SKA and SKA-Neva play in accordance with differing systems?

- I would say that the teams play in the same manner. Before today's game, I was told to play the same way as I do normally.