Ivan Nikolishin: «Everything was on the line»
01.04.2026
Neftekhimik forward Ivan Nikolishin speaks with the media after a following 3–4 overtime loss against Avangard.
– It was a great series, Avangard was stronger. Congratulations to Avangard on this win!– What did the coach say, how did he motivate your team?
– I won't reveal all the secrets about how he motivated us. We knew well that there was no step back, for us it was like our last fight.
– You missed a few games. How hard was it to play today? Would you say that you had to overcome pain?
– It's okay, because it's the playoffs. Everything was on the line. I tried to help the team.
– Can you describe your goal?
– We had good forecheck. Honestly, I turned away from the puck and didn't see it. Then, when Damir Zhafyarov had it, I tried to find some room. He made a great pass, and all I could do was hit it into the empty side.
– What happened eight seconds before end of the third?
– There was definitely no loss of concentration. Avangard is a good and more experienced team. I think we just lacked experience. I hope we gain experience from this game and this series, and that this won't happen in the future.
– How has the team's mood developed for the playoffs?
– The team is fantastic! Nothing but words of respect to the team. I think everyone saw that we fought to the very end and didn't give up. The guys did a great job. We need to learn from this loss, and I hope we can get revenge in the future.
– What about personal results?
– I don't really want to sum things up right now – we just lost, and the emotions haven't cool down. I'm just proud of the guys for how we went through the season, for this series. Everyone gave it their all, and we weren't ashamed to look each other in the eye in the locker room.
– What was the key moment of the series?
– It's hard to say. Each game was a separate chapter. They just proved to be stronger, that's why they won.
