“There was a plan for Gusev to come out and immediately abandon”: what the coaches of Russia and the United States said after the quarter finals at the 2019 World Cup

“There will not be a nerve-racking if you sit on the sofa”

The head coach of the Russian national team Ilya Vorobyov did not focus on any of his players after his victory over the USA, explained the use of the video replay after the last missed puck and joked about the game plan.

- Can we say that it was the first match in which the team played to the end?

- In the playoffs, everything happens faster. From half a moment for half a second you can create a goal. Everything can instantly change. We saw it in the game with the Swedes, how everything changed after the first period.

- How did the US team change when it began to lose with a score of 0-2?

- Americans have not changed much. They again began to wait for a counterattack. In the second period, they began to impose shifts, and they began to get a good counter-attack. We expected this.

- Why did Dinar Khafizullin not go out in the third period?

- We finished the game with six defenders.

- What was your game plan?

- The way he turned out - so that Gus (Nikita Gusev. - RT) went out and scored right away.

- Do you agree that in the second period the Russian team was even stronger than in the first?

- Two teams played. Here the skill level is such that something can be created from the half-moment. It so happens that the puck is stopped on the fly and the moment begins.

- When they took a video replay after the third goal of the USA, did they believe that it would be canceled?

- We did not believe and did not know how it would turn out. We were told on the radio that there was a chance, that's all. We consulted and decided that we did not risk anything, only we would lose time out.

- How did it seem to you, did you manage to keep US top scorer Patrick Kane?

- He is a good hockey player. The main thing is that we won.

- Is it possible to say that Nikita Zadorov becomes more useful in matches with North Americans?

- We played three pairs. It is useful not only in such games. We have now taken a step forward. Let's not go to the individual players, and unite around the team.

- What do you think about the new playoff system, when until recently you may not know your opponent?

- In a day I will give an answer. We do not choose rivals.

- Alexander Ovechkin played well?

- You are asking again about personalities. The team played successfully today. Saw what he had a power reception?

- What can the team add before the semi-finals?

- There is always something to fix, I want to be better, we have something to work on. But let's leave it inside the team.

- Was it possible to avoid such a hassle as at the end of the match with the USA?

- Yes, you can, if you sit on the couch and watch the TV series “The Rich Cry, too”, for example.

"They themselves were driven into the match with Russia"

United States mentor Jeff Blashill complained that he did not manage to avoid a meeting with Russia in the playoffs and called the game his players good throughout most of the quarterfinal meeting.

“We have driven ourselves into a situation when we had to play with Russia already in the quarter finals. I must say that in the second and third periods we showed our best game at the World Championships. Russia pressed at the beginning, especially in the first ten minutes. Then we got used to it and started playing better and better. It says a lot about our character. We had chances to win, but we dug a hole ourselves when we won back from the score 0: 2, ”the specialist said.

Blashill also noted that playing with the Russians was extremely difficult because of her star hockey players, who, thanks to constant victories, became self-confident.

“Jack Hughes was a superstar today, he created many chances, playing against some of the best players in the world. It says a lot about him. He was upset that he had not played with Canada, and today he went out charged to fight. He proved that he is a high-class player. We must pay tribute to the Russian team, this is a very strong team. Opponent went to the game self-confident, which can not be said about us. It happens if you do not win all the time. In the course of the match, we became better, but if the initiative belongs to the Russians, then they are great, ”the coach added.

Finally, the US national team coach complained about the late start of the tournament, which prevented his team from preparing better.

“Long preparation for the tournament would have hurt, and would benefit our team. Well, when the players agree to come to the team. But we know that if inviting them earlier, many will refuse. This year, we were hurt by an extra week between the end of the season and the start of the World Cup. The players longer entered their rhythm. I hope that in the future the World Cup will start earlier, ”concluded Blashill.