SKA - Lokomotiv. Press-conference

HC SKA head coach Roman Rotenberg:

- This was a high quality, playoff-like game. We had expected it to be a difficult match. I liked how we started today, we controlled the match and created plenty of opportunities. In the second period, we simply failed to take advantage of our chances - that was the only thing missing from our performance. Every game is for first place at the moment. Unfortunately, our discipline let us down. We'll draw the required conclusions and get rid of our unnecessary penalties. We will now prepare for Sunday, a strong Magnitogorsk side is travelling here to play us. There will be changes to the line-up.

- Your players regularly switched positions. Did this happen because you were trying to surprise the opponents?

- If you watch our games, then you'll know that this isn't anything new. We display modern ice hockey. We have five skaters on the ice, and it doesn't matter whether they are defensemen or forwards! We like our guys to change positions. For Lokomotiv's first marker, we committed a mistake in the attacking zone. We must compete in accordance with the game plan, especially when we're dominating. Our only issues are with our individual errors.

- Why did SKA encounter disciplinary problems in this match?

- That's an interesting question which I don't know how to answer. Why does a player hit another in the face in the third period? I can't answer that question, and neither can you. If a team plays almost an entire period shorthanded, it makes the task of winning more difficult. This a team sport, you can't let the side down. We'll have a talk with the team and this won't happen again.

- Was the problem with creating chances or converting them?

- The problem was making too many passes. When you're presented with a scoring chance, you must capitalise on it. You must never wait, because there's a possibility that you won't have another opportunity. The ability to take advantage of chances separates ordinary teams from championship-winning teams. With the playoffs in mind, this is a useful defeat for us. When you play against a goalkeeper like Daniil Isayev, you have to block his view and shoot in the right places. We'll work on this.

- What can you say about 19-year-old goaltender Pavel Moisevich?

- Our goalkeeper is our best player in every match! It doesn't matter whether Pavel, Nikita Serebryakov, Johan Mattsson or Artemiy Pleshkov is playing, we must always provide our goaltender with assistance.

HC Lokomotiv Yaroslavl head coach Igor Nikitin:

- Our guys competed with character today against a good team. They blocked plenty of pucks. Thanks to our quality, we managed to emerge victorious.

- During the second stanza, SKA spent one long shift inside your zone, but you didn't concede. Was this the key moment?

- Yes, I agree. Young players such as Daniil But and Raul Akmaldinov were on the ice for four minutes throughout that shift. Overall, I was happy with the way they coped with SKA's pressing.

- Why are matches involving SKA and Lokomotiv always decided by one goal?

- Both sides boast strong goalkeepers and compete with organisation. Thanks to the skaters' organised play, the goaltenders know where the shots are going to drop. SKA and Lokomotiv both play with concentration against each other.

- Did you protect Isayev ahead of this game?

- No, there wasn't any break for Isayev. We decided to give our young goalkeepers a chance against Barys Astana at home on Wednesday.

HC SKA forward Mikhail Vorobyov:

- The faceoff with one second remaining on the clock? The idea was to create a shooting lane for one of our forwards. Can we say that Lokomotiv are awkward opponents for SKA? No. After all, you get two points for every victory in the KHL, regardless of who you face. I have the same mindset for all opponents.

HC SKA forward Sergei Tolchinsky:

- We played well today and created lots of chances. This would have been an important victory for us, but we'll analyse our mistakes ahead of our next game on Sunday. We'll come back stronger.