Sergei Zubov and Alexei Ponikarovsky speak about the KHL playoffs

HC SKA head coach Sergei Zubov:

- The regular season has finished, and we can begin the playoffs with a clean slate. We will be ready.

- Are you happy with how your preparation has gone?

- We had five full training days in Igora. We fulfilled our workout plan, and will hope that it will help us be successful in the series' first game.

- Do you know all of your line combinations?

- We have three lines which we plan not to change. However, we have a long bench, and if required we will move things around.

- Lokomotiv have the KHL regular season's top goaltender.

- We will analyse his strengths and weaknesses. We will try to score against him.

- In what state is Ilya Kovalchuk?

- Physically, he is 100% ready. We will see him in the first game.

- Is Mikko Koskinen, who played practically every game before the end of the regular season, not tired?

- The coaching staff think that he is in excellent form. A month ago, we prepared a special plan - we wanted to give him the opportunity to play practically every game before the playoffs.

- Is it good or bad to begin away from home?

- It doesn't make any difference.

- Do you feel real anticipation before your first playoffs as head coach?

- I have that feeling before every game, it doesn't matter if it is the regular championship or the playoffs.

- Would you agree with the opinion that Lokomotiv are SKA's most awkward opponents?

- No. All eight teams have even chances.

- Who is Lokomotiv's most dangerous player?

- Look at the statistics.

- Which match against Lokomotiv this regular season do you remember the most?

- We played well in Yaroslavl, where we tried to prevent the opponents from showing their strengths. We managed to do that.

HC SKA forward Alexei Ponikarovsky:

- In Lokomotiv's game, what do you need to pay attention to?

- Their strengths are a solid defence, good counterattacks, and they work hard. The key to victory is to work harder than them and play well in defence.

- Are you not worried about playing with such an opponent in the first round?

- The playoffs differ from the regular season. Everything is different. You can play against anyone, you can't choose your opponents. We have what we have. It's obvious that it would have been better to begin at home, but there's nothing bad starting in Yaroslavl. This has happened a lot in my career, and there have been a lot of victories on the road.

- Do you know how to beat Lokomotiv's goaltender Alexei Murygin?

- He is playing well and catching pucks. We need to block his view on the crease, and of course we have to shoot more. Their tactics are based on not conceding goals, they play with a lot of commitment and have kept a lot of shutouts.

- During training, what have you been working over? Special teams?

- We have looked over all aspects, including special teams. All components are important. We need to look at everything, including how the opponents act in different situations.

- Last season, everyone in the team understood each other really well. Is it the same this time around?

- No one is thinking about last season. We have new tactics and new difficulties which we should overcome. We are still searching for mutual understanding. The coaching staff will put us in lines, and we will go out and play.