Press Conference «Neftekhimik – Shanghai Dragons» 9/6/2026
06.09.2026
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin speaks with the media after a following 4–5 overtime loss agaisnt Shanghai Dragons.
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin:– It was such an even, exciting game for the fans. There was a lot of emotion. I think the first two goals came a little too easily for us. For a moment, they believed everything was going well. They noticed that during the first intermission. We scored shorthanded and, unfortunately, immediately conceded, which was a disappointing moment for us, as was the goal we conceded in the final seconds of the period. Again, emotions were at play: we seemed to be on the offensive, thinking we might score, but then we got a counterattack, giving the opponent momentum. The third period was a double‑edged sword. Unfortunately, the opponent played the stronger overtime.
Andrei is the team leader on the bench and on the ice. He always starts in the top line in overtime. This time, unfortunately, our top line was disrupted. After the game, we emphasised to the guys the importance of keeping their emotions in check.
Shanghai Dragons Head Coach Mitch Love:
– For the fans, this was undoubtedly a very interesting game. There were a lot of different situations, goals scored. Goals were scored on the power play, shorthanded, and at even strength. Overall, there were a lot of great moments. Even though we were down 3–0, we still found a way to pull ourselves together. We got back into the game and scored important goals. In that regard, the guys did a great job of stepping up and turning the game around.
