SKA - CSKA. Press-conference

HC CSKA head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov:

- I would like to congratulate Vyacheslav Bykov with the deserved victory. I begin with a request for our federal journalists - we have a young team, which is not yet ready to cope with such high expectations and pressure. We need to be pumped up, work hard, and respect strong opponents like today. We had a terrible first period, and gave ourselves such a handicap which we couldn't come back from. A lot of our players couldn't play, and that's a shame. I am not going to deny the fact that we were looking forward to this game, but we didn't hold back in the match with Jokerit. It's a disappointing defeat, but a deserved one.

- Can you give CSKA such a winning mentality like back in the Soviet days?

- Ask Vyacheslav - he was in such a team. I can't answer that question, as that was a different period, when there was the Red Machine. But we prepare for every game and we want to win. It's annoying to lose both games in Saint Petersburg, you always want to emerge victorious. There's a bad feeling after today's game, and some things worry me.

- Alexey Yashin said that the hockey was of the highest quality, and SKA won because of the higher class of certain players. Do you agree?

- Yes, he was absolutely right.

- Is it important to keep a hold of first place?

- It's great to be in first position, but I cant say that we are thinking about this. These games, the telling matches, are important to watch from a side view. Jokerit are a good team, and this match has been against a great SKA. There is a lot of food for thought. It's very good, that such testing matches have come one after another. We will also play against these opponents again soon, and we are going through an interesting cycle.

HC SKA head coach Vyacheslav Bykov:

- I want to give CSKA their due - they made life complicated for us on the ice. There was a lot of powerful pressing in our zone, and we couldn't counterattack or set up positional plays. Such matches show who are leaders, and who want to be among them. Today we had players who wanted to win, and as a result the match was interesting. We will meet with CSKA again soon, and it'll be another game without compromises. Hockey is more interesting now.

- CSKA pressured a lot today. Could you have done with Alexey Ponikarovsky?

- The players who go out on to the ice fight. I am not going to talk about players which didn't take part. They are worrying about this of course, but it is our decision. Alexey will have a chance to play.

- Would you agree with Alexey Yashin's comments too?

- Alexey has been through a lot, and I am not going to comment on what he said. Both teams deserved to win, but luck was on our side. Someone has to be lucky sometimes. I am very happy with how the team played.

- 15 matches remain in the regular season. Mikko Koskinen said, that the only thing that is important is to win every game. Do you have a set goal to win the gold medals?

- Mikko replied to the question correctly.