Press Conference «Avangard – Neftekhimik» 10/22/2026
22.10.2026
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin speaks with the media after a following 3–2 won over Avangard.
– Did you get stronger, or did Avangard falter in some way?– It is always a case of one side getting stronger while the other weakens. We did not turn our struggles into a tragedy; we talked things over during the second intermission, and once we got back out there, things started to click.
– You have traded wins this season – looking back at that previous game, who was the stronger side then?
– In that game, our overall play was better. In this one, things really were not working for us for the first two periods.
– It has been a good stretch – you have beaten the champions, Lokomotiv, and now Avangard. How much of a psychological boost does this provide for the upcoming games?
– Wins always bring positive emotions. The main thing is to avoid complacency – though I am confident we will not fall into that trap.
– Given your current standing – second in the Eastern Conference – and wins against the reigning champions, have you, as both a coach and someone who pays close attention to the mental side of the game, noticed any signs of overconfidence?
– We have key players whom we encourage to take risks. Even if it only pays off once out of every three attempts, it can create a scoring chance or lead to a goal. Perhaps there is a certain level of overconfidence, but it is really just self-assurance – the kind that puts pressure on the opponent. We do not punish that; we discuss it. We give our leaders the freedom to play a high-risk style of hockey.
– Avangard has a reputation for starting periods with high intensity, though that has not always been the case this season. Did it feel like you did not quite find your rhythm right away?
– That is exactly why we had such a poor start. We know that Avangard starts aggressively; we would like to dominate as well, but it does not always work out. When we went out for a power play, the team was a bit too relaxed – the puck left the zone, and the power-play unit made no effort to track back defensively. We were punished for that. So, there were moments of overconfidence, even though we are well aware that Avangard plays aggressively from the start. For now, we have not quite managed to establish our game in their zone.
– Ozolin secured his first win against Avangard, which suggests your coaching decision was the right one. Could you share your coaching philosophy regarding the selection of a goaltender? You have mentioned that you are not a proponent of rotating goalies – why is that?
– It is not solely my decision, though the final call rests with me. Alexey Yuryevich Mitroshin does a lot of work in this area and has his own observations. Even though this was Yaroslav’s first win against Avangard, he has been playing well. The real issue is that we are not scoring enough goals. We have a strategy in place, and we are sticking to it – and it is proving effective.
