Press Conference «Dinamo Mn – Neftekhimik» 10/17/2025
17.10.2025
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin speaks with the media after a following 3–4 voertime win over Dinamo Mn.
– You know, it is hard to sum up a game like this. Perhaps we should thank the guys for fighting back and holding on in such a tough game, despite the opponent having a serious advantage. Philipp played great—he just stood on his head, kept us in the game, saved us. And we played well at the end. As I say, we need to score three, and we scored three, and that was enough to hold out until overtime. We took the advantage of the goal–scoirng chacnes we had. I think that is it.It was tough for the guys because the home team is a very skilled, playful team. They played well today, but the support from the crowd certainly had an impact.
I think this was probably the first time this season we have encountered such strong support–you could not hear a thing from the bench. But I think that also added to our excitement. Of course, it is great to play in arenas like this, it is very pleasant.
– Your team took only one penalty. Did you specifically point this out, knowing that the home team is very dangerous on the power play, and the guys tried to play as cleanly as possible?
– No, it was not specifically mentioned. The guys already knew exactly who we were dealing with and tried to play correctly. But the home team did not get penalized even once. I guess we didn't force them to break the rules that often. And, again, there were no unexpected, stupid penalties—like high sticking or slamming players in the back. The game was practically five–on–five on both sides. We did not specifically emphasize it; the guys simply understood it themselves. And, of course, we, as a coaching staff, prepared and demonstrated it.
We show the video and forward it to a group somewhere—to the guys who play on the power play. Overall, the guys did everything they could to minimize penalties.
– Belarusian forward Maxim Sushko played his second game back from injury. How satisfied are you with his performance?
– Yes, he did his job today, he brought energy, moved quickly enough, and played well. Of course, he is not in top form yet – he is been out for over a month, and it is hard to get back into a good rhythm right away. But what he did today was great. And, of course, if the team won, it means each of the guys contributed and did everything they could.
– Your next game is against the Eastern Conference leader. Will you try to continue your winning streak there?
– Well, everyone's trying to keep up their streak. What can I say about our team? Of course, we will try, we will work hard, play to win, fight, and try to score. But we will see how it goes. Of course, we have also had some health issues with our guys, some injuries. It is a tough trip, and we are losing players. Overall, the situation is challenging, and it is unclear why we are not having much luck in this regard.
