Sergei Kalinin: "We controlled the entire match'

- SKA defeated Ak Bars for the first time in two years.

- I didn't know about that. It's great that we beat a good team. It's nice to play in these games, and it's really good that we won.

- Why did you allow Ak Bars to even the score in the second period?

- There were penalties. They took their toll, but the flow of the game changed and the opponents scored their goals. Nevertheless, we controlled the entire match, spent a lot of time in the attacking zone, had plenty of shots and tried to play in front of their goaltender. We managed to score.

- Is this one of the most difficult victories in the season?

- Yes. Ak Bars are always one of the contenders for the Gagarin Cup. It's not new information that they're a good team.

- Russia will compete at the Olympic Games under a neutral flag.

- The main thing is that we will play there. We'll try to win. Inside, we know that we are representing Russia. We were told the information after the match.

- Did you have doubts before this match started?

- No, we didn't think like that. Yesterday, we watched the IOC's meeting and were disappointed with the decision. It's good that we are allowed to play there, I think that it's the right decision. The blame doesn't lie with athletes who have been preparing for the Olympics. During a lifetime, we might only have one chance to play at the Olympic Games.