Vityaz - SKA. Press-conference of game four

HC SKA head coach Oleg Znarok:

- Qualifying for the next round, we will prepare for the playoffs second stage.

- Sergei Plotnikov returned today. Will Vyacheslav Voynov and Steve Moses be ready for the next round?

- We will find out when we return to Saint Petersburg. They are training.

- Is it a good thing that the team will now have a long break before the second stage?

- We will try to keep the guys in shape.

- Why didn't you give Igor Shestyorkin a match?

- That's a stupid question. We made a decision that Mikko Koskinen was going to play.

HC Vityaz Podolsk head coach Valery Belov:

- I congratulate SKA with their victory, I wish them luck in their quest to win the Gagarin Cup. Our team couldn't give SKA a real challenge. To be honest, we were lacking strength and emotion. We lost a lot of them just fighting to qualify for the playoffs. Not all of our players were ready to compete in the playoffs, but nevertheless, this was a new experience for them. A lot of them were playing in the playoffs for the first time. Such defeats give you motivation to work harder and better.

- You mentioned that not all of your players were ready for the playoffs. In which sense? Mentally or physically?

- During the recent break, we didn't have the opportunity to train. Our squad wasn't rotated either, the same players played every game. Concerning the psychological side of things, I am not going to mention names, but not all of our players were ready for the playoffs. Nevertheless, this was an experience for them and such games help them to grow as players.