“This team can play strong hockey”: what they say before the quarterfinals of the MCH Russia - Switzerland

“It is up to us to break the rules, not we on the opponent”

On Thursday, January 2, the playoffs of the youth hockey world championship kick off. The Russian team, having won two victories and having suffered the same defeats at the group stage, will meet with the Swiss national team in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Bookmakers consider Valery Bragin's squad a clear favorite of the confrontation, but striker Egor Sokolov is confident that the meeting is unlikely to be an easy walk for him and his partners.

“It is not so important with whom we have to play in the playoffs, there are no weak opponents left, any one is good. The Swiss yesterday proved this by their own example, beating the Finns - 5: 2. We will prepare for them, there are no passing matches, ”the forward noted.

“I know Valentin Nussbaumer in the Swiss national team, he plays in my league. There’s still Tim Bernie, we crossed paths at the Columbus camp, ”Sokolova quotes“ Championship ”.

According to the hockey player, in training he was not played up in the majority. He found it difficult to answer whether it was good or bad, admitting that he was not going to challenge the coaching decision. The striker also emphasized that he liked the arena in Tršinets, where he will play the first match of the round through, more than the stadium in Ostrava.

“Here the stands are located around the ice, as in Canada, it's nice to play in such an environment. I hope a full stadium is coming together. I agree that the main thing before the match is the mood. With the Czechs, perhaps he was not enough, somewhere the stands were squeezed. But this is already in the past, we are preparing for the Swiss, ”Sokolov added.

Assistant head coach Igor Larionov, in turn, expressed concern about the number of deletions that Russians allow during the tournament in the Czech Republic. The illustrious hockey player is convinced that optional violations can play a decisive role in playoff matches.

“We will raise this issue without fail, Rtishchev comes out again, with whom I will have a conversation. This is an important figure in our minority; for all the rest, we will also go through discipline. Six to eight deletions per game is a bit much for our team. We are strong in the game "five by five" and "five by four." We must dictate our conditions to our rivals, it is they who must break the rules on us, and not we on them, ”the specialist noted.

On the eve of the quarterfinal match, one of the main intrigues is the goalkeeper's choice. Yaroslav Askarov, despite a resultant error in the game with the German national team, is likely to re-enter the ice from the first minutes.

“I don’t know who will play, this is a question for Valery Bragin and Nikolai Khabibulin. The decision is made by the goalkeeper coach, he knows better than you and me. I would put Askarov, I think that he should become the first goalkeeper in the playoffs. Yes, under Miftakhov, the team beat Canada 6-0, but that's another story, ”admitted Larionov.

“We will not focus on one thing in the Russian team”

Meanwhile, the Swiss are eager to prove that the three victories in the group stage of the MFM-2020 were not an accident. According to striker Simon Knack, the triumph in the game with Finland inspired the alpine team.

“I know that Switzerland only once beat Russia at the MFM, it was in the quarterfinals. But all this does not matter anymore, as it is in the past. We are waiting for a new match and do not look back. We know that the Russians are very good, but the game starts with the score 0-0, so there are chances. I know the goalkeeper Askarov in the Russian national team, he’s very good, ”Knak said.

Team captain Tim Burney, in an interview with the Championship, expressed the view that the upcoming playoff meeting would be a real challenge for him with partners, but the experience of playing at the MFM could help them create a sensation.

“We have enough guys who have already played for the youth team. If you find yourself in this position several times, played in the playoffs, you have more experience, you know how to tune in to such important games. We expect that those who have already gone through this will lead us along, ”said Bernie.

With optimism at the upcoming quarter-finals and head coach of the Swiss national team Thierry Paterlini. According to him, the team looked better and better with each match, and the last game with Finland was almost perfect.

“Last year we knocked out Sweden. Now we want to feel these emotions again. If we manage to demonstrate our best hockey and take care of our scoring chances, we have good chances to win. We will not focus on one thing in the Russian team. We saw their game ten days ago in Kravarge, they looked solid. We must show our best hockey as a team, then the opponent’s leaders will have a hard time with us, ”said Paterlini.

“No discipline - deletions instantly begin”

For the most part, Russian experts are confident that Valery Bragin’s team is superior to Switzerland. At the same time, they urge hockey players not to forget not only about self-giving, but also about keeping order on ice.

“There is no discipline - deletions instantly begin, ligaments are broken, guys begin to look worse. The forces are leaving, not enough emotions in the attack. Therefore, discipline is very important. And, of course, in the majority it is necessary to act, as in a meeting with the Germans. The tactics, organization of attacks - all this will be built by the coaching staff, ”said two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov.

At the same time, according to the expert, getting into the Swiss can be considered a good deal for the Russian team. The specialist emphasized that Bragin’s wards could get a much stronger opponent.

“It’s good that everything turned out that way. It could be much worse. For example, Finns or Swedes would fall. But, in general, what and whom should we be afraid of? If the guys play with a single fist, as with Canada and Germany, then they will not be equal. This team has shown that it can play strong hockey, ”added Kozhevnikov.

Hockey agent Aleksey Dementiev is of a different opinion. In his opinion, the Swiss national team is by no means a gift in the quarterfinal match. The specialist emphasized that the opponent should not be allowed to control the puck so that he would not start throwing and loading the goalkeeper.

“An extremely inconvenient opponent, defiant defense, a competent game in front of the goal. Well cleaned, pick up rebounds. Failures, perhaps, were only in the match with the Swedes, which the Swiss lost - 2: 5. There the Scandinavians were hurt a lot of opportunities. The Swiss also have a good transition from defense to attack, ”said Dementiev.