Steve Moses: "The Ice Palace is one of the world's best stadiums"

- How did you celebrate the New Year?

- I flew to Stockholm to celebrate it with friends. It was great!

- Did you have any wishes?

- Not really. I wished myself a good year, for myself to be successful on the ice and happy in my personal life.

- Have you found an apartment in Saint Petersburg?

- Yes, on Paradnaya Street. A lot of SKA players live nearby, we can keep in contact.

- What impressions do you have from Saint Petersburg?

- The best! It's a wonderful city with a lot of beautiful buildings and good restaurants. I receive happiness from every day spent here.

- Can you compare it with Helsinki or Nashville?

- I have lived in a number of places, and I enjoyed Helsinki too. Nashville is an excellent city, however Saint Petersburg is the biggest city in which I have lived. I have travelled a lot, and can say that your city is one of the most beautiful in the world.

- Is it not too cold for you?

- No, I got used to such weather in Helsinki. It was too dark without snow, but when you are focused on hockey you don't notice it that much.

- Does the club DJ play the GoDownMoses song after you score?

- Maybe, but when I'm playing I focus on the game and not the music.

- When preparing for this interview, we found out that in an junior league you got more penalty minutes than anyone else...

- If I'm honest, that must be a mistake. I have never got a lot of penalty minutes, I have never been a large guy and I put my focus on to different components of my game. It's unlikely that I had more penalty minutes than anyone else.

- Well, you have always been a leader in terms of goals and assists. Why couldn't you settle in the NHL or AHL?

- I had a chance to play in the NHL in the 2012/2013 season, but there was a lockout. I decided to play in Finland instead of low American leagues, and I don't regret making that decision.

- You have always played well in the KHL. What are the differences between America and Europe?

- Some players play better with one certain style. The main thing is that the coach trusts you, and gives out chances. In Nashville, I wasn't given the chance to show the hockey that I displayed in the KHL.

- How did you cope with the long flight arriving to Saint Petersburg? You arrived, signed the contract, went to the match in the evening...

- I drank a lot of strong coffee! If I'm honest, then I was tired but had no doubt in going to the game. I have learnt to sleep when flying for a long time. It was a really long day, but I was happy to sign the contract with SKA. It's a good compensation for a lack of sleep.

- As soon as returning, you began scoring amazing goals. Does the ice size here suit your game better?

- There is not a big difference between the KHL, NHL or AHL. Hockey is hockey. It comes down to whether you are confident in yourself or not, and in SKA I have confidence that I will score in every match. Even if it doesn't happen, I know that I can keep on scoring in the KHL.

- What can you say about playing with Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Kadeikin in one line?

- Ilya is one of the world's best players, I have grown up watching him in the NHL. Alexander Kadeikin is a young player, but is already strong. I am sure that he has a bright future ahead of him. You need time to build up chemistry, but we are on the right track. It helps that nearly all of my teammates speak English, and we are working hard at training and communicating a lot.

- Is it important for you personally to play in the first line?

- Yes! When you play in the first line, you get a lot of ice time. Also, you get a chance to play with the strongest teammates. SKA have the KHL's strongest players, and with them you can bring your own level up a notch. I want to be as helpful as possible to the team, and my job is to score goals and get assists.

- Do you get extra motivation when the Ice Palace screams your name as a first line member?

- It's a nice ritual. When you skate out on to the ice, you try to only think about the game. The main thing about the first line is a lot of ice time, and strong teammates. They make you progress.

- SKA are closing down on Jokerit as division leaders. Have the playoffs already begun for SKA?

- Of course! Jokerit are a powerful team, and they are strong opponents for the leadership of the division. It will be a great finish to the KHL regular season, however the playoffs are still more important. We need to be in great shape and repeat last year's success.

- Is it important to be in the top four and gain home advantage?

- It's important to start on home ice. Nevertheless, it's more important to progress as a team. You need to be in a positive mindset for the playoffs, and be at your peak. You have to show your best hockey.

- What can you say about the Saint Petersburg Ice Palace's atmosphere?

- It's fantastic! It is one of the best stadiums which I have played inside of. The fans are loud and positive, and help the players to play at 100%.

- Did the 2015 World Championship for the USA leave a mark on you?

- It's great to defend your country at the World Championship! It's really something special. The most vivid emotions are from the semi-final with Russia, where unfortunately we lost. However, we found strength inside of ourselves to win the bronze medal match.

- Was your team one of the tournament's happiest?

- A lot of guys had never played together before. Russia, Finland and Sweden play together often at the Euro Hockey Tour for example, while after a tough club season players from different leagues and clubs came together for the USA. Without enjoying our hockey, we wouldn't have achieved anything.

- When moving to SKA, did you think about proving yourself good enough to take part in the 2016 World Championship in Russia?

- I'm not sure that this is the best time to talk about the World Championship. At the moment the most important thing is to play well with my club, and be in excellent shape for the playoffs.

- The USA will play in Saint Petersburg during the tournament. Will you become a city guide for the rest of your team?

- Maybe. I don't want to look that far ahead in the future, I want to be fully focused on playing for my club.