"We create problems for ourselves": Kamensky and Kozhevnikov on the defeat from Slovakia and the game of the Russian national team at the 2021 World Cup in hockey

"The Russian national team has a very strong line-up, but I can't call anyone a favorite."

The Russian national team started at the Ice Hockey World Championship in Latvia with two victories. The domestic team beat the Czech Republic (4: 3) and Great Britain (7: 1). However, on Monday, Valery Bragin's charges made the first misfire, losing to Slovakia - 1: 3. According to the Stanley Cup winner Valery Kamensky, the Russians initially went out on the ice with a desire to take the upper hand "with little blood." He urged players to continue to tune in to each meeting as much as possible and refine to the end in all episodes, so as not to create problems for themselves.

- Each defeat should be taken seriously and the right conclusions should be drawn so as not to repeat such mistakes.

In my opinion, the Russians are clearly not in the mood for the game.

We thought that the Slovak national team could be passed with little blood.

Hence the result.

There was no mood for victory, but the desire to solve the problem as easily as possible slipped through.

And the current world championship clearly shows everyone: there are no easy victories.

- What moments in the game of the national team caused you anxiety?

- I would not say that the Russian national team has serious problems in the game.

Perhaps we create them ourselves.

If we don’t tune in properly for the match, it’s difficult.

Hence the unnecessary missed washers.

The opponent punishes Valery Bragin's charges for being relaxed.

- Before the start of the tournament, a lot was said about the team's goalkeeper problem.

- Understand that not only the goalkeeper comes out on the ice, but also the defenders and the attackers.

All of them should help Alexander Samonov, and then he himself will begin to show a quality game.

Throwing everything on the goalkeeper is the easiest thing.

If you see that it is difficult for him, throw yourself under the puck once more.

So, how can the goalkeeper gain confidence?

Unfortunately, domestic hockey players do not always work out every episode to the end.

But the main matches are yet to come.

It's good that there is time to get ready.

The defeat from the Slovaks in some sense can do our guys good.

It should shake them up properly and serve as a lesson: you need to go to any match as if it were the last.

- Will the arrival of Ilya Samsonov's team from Washington solve the goalkeeper's question?

- Of course, his arrival will give the team confidence, but only if the defenders work out each episode to the end.

If this is not the case, the problem will remain.

- Don't you think that the national team has a special responsibility, since the rivals do not have such a selection of performers?

- Yes, the Russian national team has a very strong line-up, but I can't call anyone a favorite at this tournament.

You can see for yourself that everyone can lose here.

There are no obvious numbers.

But a lot of good teams came.

- Doesn't the presence of Samsonov, Orlov and Tarasenko raise Bragin's team above the rest?

- Let's see what they show in Latvia.

We haven't seen the guys in action.

In order to draw conclusions, at least a couple of meetings must pass.

- What did the team play in the championship pleasantly surprise you?

- In the first match with the Czechs, the Russian national team showed an outrageous attitude.

She showed how to fight from the first to the last minute and snatched victory 19 seconds before the final siren.

That is, we know perfectly well that the guys have character, it just needs to be shown in every meeting.

And our team is very skilled.

Plus, Samsonov, Orlov and Tarasenko are about to arrive.

But the team wins, not individual hockey players.

- This year there are a lot of World Cup debutants in the national team.

How does this affect the team?

- I don't think that this moment has a negative impact on the team's game.

They were also invited to the World Cup by merit.

On the contrary, the guys want to prove themselves and must constantly show their maximum in order to justify the confidence of the coaching staff.

"No need to stir up panic out of the blue"

But two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov was much more optimistic.

He refused to call the defeat from Slovakia a failure and stressed that one should not expect victories from the Russian national team in Riga in absolutely all meetings.

“Don't take this misfire seriously.

The Russians played well, but not everything worked out.

The tournament is long, there are plenty of meetings ahead.

We need to calmly prepare for a confrontation with Denmark.

It is impossible to go through the entire world championship without misfires and failures.

Look, the Canadians have suffered three defeats in a row at this championship of the planet, the Swedes - two.

Everyone loses points.

Therefore, there is no tragedy.

- What conclusions needs to be drawn by Bragin's headquarters in order to prevent such failures in the future?

- I would not call the game of the Russian national team against Slovakia a failure.

It just didn't work out.

It happens.

In general, the Czechs and Slovaks have historically spoiled a lot of blood for us at the World Championships.

Unsettled?

Do not forget that Bragin, on the eve of the meeting, was left without two attackers at once - Konstantin Okulov and Mikhail Grigorenko.

This, of course, also affected.

The same Grigorenko was not enough, he could help the national team.

This is a very high-level forward who is great at strengthening the links, although one person in hockey does not decide much.

I think a completely different team will play on the ice with Denmark on Wednesday.

- Which line after the first three matches left you with the greatest questions?

- I can't say that anything worries me about the actions of the Russian national team, especially since Samsonov, Orlov and Tarasenko will come to the team's location now.

Of course, we have an excellent squad, but this does not mean that Bragin's team is obliged to win all ten matches.

Understand, hockey has changed a lot in recent years, the world has changed.

When we don't get to the finals, then we will arrange a tragedy.

In my opinion, it's even great that we lost at the beginning of the tournament.

No need to panic out of the blue.

- Don't you think that the defenders of the Russian team allow their opponents to create too many chances at their goal?

The same Czechs and Slovaks made a lot of shots.

- I have no such impression. Yes, and Samonov is not acting so badly. In the game with the Slovaks, for example, in the episodes with missed goals, he simply could not physically save the team. In my opinion, Alexander copes with his task, but now a goalkeeper of a different level will come to the national team - Samsonov. With him, the problem at the last frontier will be finally resolved.