Evgeny Mityakin: «We need to learn from this defeat»
18.10.2026
Neftekhimik forward Evgeny Mityakin speaks with the media after a following 1–4 loss against Lokomotiv.
– CSKA played a simple game. Did you prepare for them to play this way?– Yes, we know how CSKA plays. We analyzed their style; the coaching staff showed and explained everything to us. They have a consistent, unified style of play. Unfortunately, this was the outcome.
– From the outside, it looked like the home team had more puck possesion.
– You have to win more battles to maintain possession. At times, we should not just throw the puck away; we need more movement while in possession. But above all, we need to win those individual battles.
– What was missing today to achieve a positive result?
– First and foremost, we lacked goals – our offensive play could have been better. Also, in our own zone – around the crease and behind the net – we need to play with more discipline, preventing the opposition from getting second-chance opportunities or follow-up shots.
– What is your mindset heading into the trip to Yaroslavl?
– We need to learn from this defeat. Even a negative experience can be useful for our future work. The coaching staff will point out what needs to be fixed, and we will prepare for the game in Yaroslavl. It does not matter who we are playing; we have to fight for the win.
