Igor Grishin: «We played against different opponent»
29.08.2026
Neftekhimik Head Coach Igor Grishin speaks with the media after a following 3–6 loss agaisnt Sibir.
– Today's game was different from the previous one. Why?– Primarily, we played against different opponent. Secondly, our previous opponent had also played an evening game and then faced an early afternoon start the following day, while we had benefited from a rest day beforehand. Today, we encountered an identical scheduling situation. Furthermore, we implemented a planned roster rotation, with the intention of resting our key players. Their absence was naturally felt, yet the objective was to evaluate those who had previously received limited ice time. I do not consider the outcome to have been determined by the early stages. However, the two goals conceded in the opening minutes did have a destabilising effect; we became restless, deviated from our tactical plan, and surrendered puck possession too readily. Our primary objective for the third period was to reverse that trend – to win physical battles, regain control of the puck, and secure the period. That objective was successfully achieved.
– Several goals were conceded as a result of deflections. Would you attribute that to misfortune?
– Certainly not; such deflections are an inherent component of the game. The opposition effectively positioned themselves in front of the goaltender and utilised their sticks, while we permitted their defensemen to shoot with minimal pressure. They consistently directed the puck towards the net, and the opposing forwards were quicker in our crease area. Our players failed to execute correctly; they did not maintain proper stick control, resulting in deflections off their own sticks.
– How would you rate Matvey Botov's game?
– His debut was not entirely flawless in terms of goals conceded, yet there were instances in which he demonstrated his technical proficiency and made crucial saves for the team.
