Igor Larionov shares his thoughts after defeating Lada on the road

HC SKA head coach Igor Larionov:

"I would like to congratulate Tolyatti with their good performance, they didn't give up and got back into the game. They made it a nervy match for us and turned a lot of our hairs grey! Nevertheless, all's well that ends well. Yes, we didn't win in regulation time, but two points are two points. I'm grateful to our guys to responding well after the disappointing match in Magnitogorsk and producing a pretty decent performance."

Thoughts on the two matches with Lada in 2026...

"The most difficult games are often against the teams in the lower half of the table. After all, Lada have nothing to lose. Their players are trying to take points off their opponents. On one hand, it's nice when you play with nothing to lose, but on the other, you want to qualify for the playoffs. They earned a point in Saint Petersburg and another one today."

If penalty shootouts are decided by skill or luck...

"Penalties aren't a lottery! We're not in Las Vegas. Shootouts are decided by individual player quality and how capable a player is of coping with the pressure on his shoulders. The same goes for the goalkeepers, of course."