Press conference after SKA defeated Ak Bars at the Ice Palace

HC SKA coach Yuri Babenko:

"It was a tough game against a strong opponent; Ak Bars aren't one of the leaders of the Eastern Conference for nothing. Not everything went right for us in the maiden two periods, but we had a productive conversation in the dressing room and subsequently emerged victorious."

Nikolai Goldobin's improved form...

"At this moment in time, I think that he's displaying the ice hockey which everyone wants him to show. Nikolai is playing excellently right now."

What went wrong in the opening two periods...

"The opponents forced us to make mistakes. Kazan started great, but we didn't compete with the required aggression in the attacking zone. At times, we thought too much instead of simply getting the puck on net. Any shot is dangerous, especially if you create a rebound. We didn't ask enough questions of the Kazan defence, and they took advantage of the situation."

Why Brennan Menell and Igor Larionov didn't play...

"The problem we have right now is the virus which is doing the rounds."

If there was an idea of selecting a seventh defenseman or a player from the MHL...

"It was a difficult situation, because our VHL team only returned to Saint Petersburg last night following a lengthy away trip. To be honest, we didn't look at anyone from the MHL."

SKA's effective powerplay...

"All teams work on their special teams. In the second period, we told the players to put the emphasis on shooting. After all, the puck isn't going to go into the net by itself! We wanted to shoot aggressively, and I'm glad that the guys managed to score their goals and show their quality."

Matvei Polyakov's tenacious approach for his goal...

"Matvei won the duel for the puck and sped towards the Ak Bars net with speed. Our task was to take space away from the opponents and not allow them time in which to make decisions. Well done to Matvei for his goal, he battled hard and deserved that moment."

Sergei Ivanov's strong showing...

"Just like on Tuesday, the goalkeeper was fantastic and helped us in the crucial moments. Sergei kept us in the game. When the goalkeeper is playing with confidence, the team plays differently. As they say, the goalkeeper makes up half of the team. It's one of the most important components."

HC Ak Bars Kazan head coach Anvar Gatiyatulin:

"You don't always say this after losing, but we played well for the majority of the match. Our movement was good, we competed with positive emotions and created plenty of opportunities. However, we wasted our chances and committed mistakes which allowed SKA to score their goals. We did have chances to equalise late on."

Drop in performance level in the third stanza...

"It's hard to dominate for the entire game. In sports like ice hockey, you often see the initiative go back and forth between the two teams. What makes the difference is how you cope with different situations."

Dmitrij Jaskin's penalty while playing 5-on-3...

"It was an important moment. Yes, it's great that we like to battle hard, but you have to control your emotions and compete accordingly. We'll have a conversation about this tomorrow."

Situation with illnesses...

"Timur Bilyalov didn't play because he hasn't yet fully recovered from his virus. Nonetheless, his absence means that Maxim Arefyev is gaining more KHL experience. Some of our other guys are also currently on the sidelines as a consequence of illness."