Press Conference «Neftekhimik – Avangard» 1/5/2025

04.01.2025

Neftekhimik Head Coach Oleg Leontyev speaks with the media after a following 1–5 loss against Avangard.


– We made 46 shots on goal, while the opponent made 39 shots on our goal. But, unfortunately, the score on the board is different. There, goals are counted, not shots. The key moment of the game happened in the second period. We had a power play. But the opponent's goalie played very well. In the third twenty minutes, we tried to equalize the score.

Avangard Head Coach Guy Boucher:

– We knew that we would have to play against a hard-working and efficient team. Neftekhimik has fast and speedy players who can catch us out. This is exactly what we did not want to allow today, because we studied the opponent's previous matches. Our task was to prevent the opponent from outplaying us.

I respect the opponent, but today, in my opinion, we played better. We started off well. I liked the first period. But then the penalties followed, there were quite a few of them. Unfortunately, this is the second game in a row that we have had this happen. It was the same in the last meeting in Magnitogorsk. We need to find the right balance between being aggressive, and at the same time being smart and using our sticks correctly. I think we are moving in the right direction. So everything will be fine for us.

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