Ugra - SKA. Press-conference

HC SKA head coach Oleg Znarok:

- Those who didn't see the game will say that we won easily, but the match could have gone the other way. We made some mistakes, especially in defence. However, the opponents didn't take advantage of our errors.

- Why did you swap Alexander Barabanov and Sergei Kalinin?

- We wanted to see how they played in different lines because things weren't working out.

- You swapped Igor Shestyorkin for Alexei Melnichuk in the third period. Was this to give the latter a chance?

- Yes, we wanted to give Igor Shestyorkin a rest.

HC Ugra Khanty-Mansiysk head coach Igor Zakharkin:

- This match showed just what has been happening with us over the past month. We seem to be playing well, but we're losing a lot of games. I think that this period will eventually come to an end. At the moment, we have been able to stabilise the roster. In matches against such tough opponents, we are seeing a clear image which the team is protraying. I think that this was the final incentive for Ugra to improve. We have to take points.

- Towards the second half of the match, it seemed as though Ugra became tired.

- You're right to a certain extent. As I have already stated, this game showed what has been going on with us in this month. We can't score on the powerplay, but the opponents can. When you concede the third, fourth and fifth goals against SKA, you can feel how much it deflates the players. Nevertheless, they kept trying on the ice. They couldn't always keep up with SKA's players, but they fought as hard as they could.