Press-conference

“Donbass-2” Coach Oleg Mikulchik about game plan, Kiev “Companyon-Neftegaz” Evgeniy Alipov about penalties factor…

Oleg Mikulchic, “Donbass-2” Head Coach:

- Today I am satisfied with the game. They have played the combination we required. We avoided the penatlies in the third period, as it sometimes occures with us. Yes, we had some mistakes but their is know hockey team who does not make mistakes.

- Did the early goal change the game plan?

- The main thing to be mentioned is, there wasn't any troubles in the third period. It sometimes happens one goal after another and we get beat. We were tired a little bit after the game against “Sokol”, but today everything went as it should have been.

- Was it important to have revenge for the defeat in Kiev in previous head-to-head game?

- We concentrated on each game of the regular season. “Companyon-Neftegaz” is a decent opponent. I watch this team. They have already been in play-offs, but have not been to playoffs in a long time. But the team “Kompanyon” might play better with a new coach Aleksandr Seukand. Experience is an experience actually. What can I say? Well done! It is always a great pleasure to play against the decent opponent.

- Can we say that our first “three” shots on goal changed the game?

- Of course it is good that they could silence the crowd”. The guys had the situations in each game. I would like to see Andrey Mihnov score more, not just passed the puck for to his teammates. But today I am pleased with him. He scored a goal today – a little bit curious – but a goal.

- Today in the first period there were too many penalty minutes. Is it due to too much emotions?

- I wouldn’t say in those words. We again received penalty troubles. In some situations our play was evident. In some episodes where it seemed to be better to play by legs – there were hitches. Today the refereeing was good. There always will be penalties, if there are hitches. Clashes and delays will be.

- Today in Rouen “Donbass” beat Minsk team “Yunost”with the score 2:1. We can say that today “Donbass” has a double victory.

- I am glad with our team “Donbass” which won the first Continental Cup match. Anyway there is an international tournament. I am from “Yunost” team and I am glad that Minsk team could offer a battle for “Donbass”. And speaking about the standings, 2:1 it is the victory of our club. And what kind of the victory – by overtime and by penalty shots – that is not of great importance.

- But this success does not guarantee it in the “Super Final Four”, isn’t that right?

- Sure. That’s good that they won, but we can sum up only after three games. Now we should concentrate on game tomorrow against “Ansiago” and Sunday's games against “Rouen Dragons”.

Evgeniy Alipov, the Coach of “Companyon-Neftegaz” team:

- We try to play our best each game, despite who our opponent is: “Vinnickie Gaydamaky” or “Donbass-2” or “Sokol”. We just come on the ice and try to score and win. In Harkov we recently had a successful game, won, scored 3 goals, when we went to Donetsk, of course, we tried to compete with “Donbass-2”. Moreover we understood that Donetsk club lost to“Sokol” the day before yesterday in overtime that is why this team would try to prove themselves for their fans. The beginning of todays game was a successful one – we scored the first goal, but penalties of course changed the game. Understanding that playing against Donetsk team is always a shorthanded one, the players lost all their composure, and probably the lack of aggression played in that role.

- Why did your team get so many penalties?

- I can’t answer it. To figure out what the referees see, is not my specialty .– Their are specialists for that – for example the Head Inspector. But from my point of view they refereed too much. They let the two teams play a little bit, in the third period. Before they benched us for nearly each hit we made. I don’t want to say they were partial to one team, but playing shorthanded it is difficult to hope for the victory. “Donbass-2” unlike our team has more better players then we do; consequently, they have more possibilities to play shorthanded or power play by different people. Thereby the opponent has more energy at the end of the game.

- Has the first goal shorthanded influenced your team too soothing?

- Not really. It was just lucky combination of circumstances.

Press Service of HC "Donbass"