Ilnar Misbakhov: «It was the first game of the season»
10.09.2026
Reaktor Head Coach Ilnar Misbakhov speaks with the media after a following 1–2 loss against Sputnik.
– We came out flat and looked a step slow. Our legs were heavy, and our actions were stiff. We’d waited a long time for this one, and there was a long layoff. But in the second period, we flipped the script and generated eight great goal–scoring chances.
– What was the turning point in your view?
– The too-many-men penalty in the third was the key moment of the game. Before that, we’d killed off a five-minute major. The guys were laying it all on the line, blocking shots, battling, holding firm. Then a young player made a bad change–jumped on as the sixth man and we gave one up.
– A slow start and that kind of penalty – too many men on the ice. Was it nerves?
– It was the first game of the season, so there were nerves. A lot of the guys couldn’t find their rhythm early. It showed.
– How tough is it to drop the opener? Did you find the right words in the room to lift the team?
– The first one doesn’t always go smoothly. It stings. Losing never feels good. But it happens – we will bounce back. We’ll break down our mistakes and get better.
– What was the turning point in your view?
– The too-many-men penalty in the third was the key moment of the game. Before that, we’d killed off a five-minute major. The guys were laying it all on the line, blocking shots, battling, holding firm. Then a young player made a bad change–jumped on as the sixth man and we gave one up.
– A slow start and that kind of penalty – too many men on the ice. Was it nerves?
– It was the first game of the season, so there were nerves. A lot of the guys couldn’t find their rhythm early. It showed.
– How tough is it to drop the opener? Did you find the right words in the room to lift the team?
– The first one doesn’t always go smoothly. It stings. Losing never feels good. But it happens – we will bounce back. We’ll break down our mistakes and get better.
