- After the first period, a sensation was brewing - you won against the Canadian national team. What was not enough to win?
- Probably concentration. The beginning of the second period we failed completely. If I'm not mistaken, then we scored four goals in nine minutes. So you can’t play with Canadians.
“What happened?” Nervous from your own impudence?
- Definitely not nervous. Just ordinary carelessness. And with a rival such as Canadians, you can not relax for a second. They punish for any mistake. Yes, and most of this team plays great.
- Tell us what happened in the first break? What did Kert Frazer tell you?
- The installation was simple: play aggressively in the attack, but if the Canadians own the puck, then strictly roll back. In general, we only managed to act this way in the first period. It was then that we perfectly fulfilled our ideas. But everything broke the second twenty-minute.
- Tell me honestly, did you believe that you could win?
- Why not? Most played in the majority, and played well. If everyone believed that victory was near, we would have taken three points.
- It is clear that in the second period you did not complete the installation. And what else was not enough to achieve a more successful result?
- Probably, it would be necessary to play more actively in the majority. After all, we had many moments, but not all realized.
- Do you agree that Frazier cannot find contact with the players? In this tournament, the coach was satisfied after only one match.
- We have no problems with the coach. There is nothing to reproach him with. He does everything so that we achieve a good result. Properly plans a game, worries about it. It is not his fault that we are losing.
- And whose?
- Players. To the coach, in my opinion, no complaints. And we were required to complete the task. It is not his fault that we are not succeeding.
- Is the championship completed for you?
- Why?
- But it is unlikely that you will win the two remaining matches.
- I would not say that we have absolutely no chance. There are two matches ahead. And while they’re not finished, you can’t say that the tournament is over.
- Are you really planning to play in the quarter finals?
- Yes. Why not?
- But if it doesn’t work out, is it possible to say that the team performed unsuccessfully in Moscow?
- Assessment of the performance will give the leadership of the federation. But I would not say that we failed.
Alexey Shevchenko