05 October 2024

Coaches' Comments After the Avangard vs. Barys Game

After the Avangard vs. Barys (4:0) match, a press conference took place featuring the head coaches of both teams.

Vyacheslav Butsaev, Head Coach of Barys:

- Today, the outcome of the game was decided by special teams—both power play and penalty kill. We knew that Avangard’s strength is their power play, but we took too many unnecessary penalties, mostly due to technical mistakes. Three goals while shorthanded determined the result of the game. In even-strength play, I’d say we performed satisfactorily.

- If we set aside the discipline issues, was the game you saw from Barys before the first goal what you want to see from the team?

- Yes, we played quite tightly and aggressively. We had our chances, but individual skill didn’t allow us to capitalize on those few moments in 5-on-5 play. We need to be more aggressive and committed to the final shot. This is definitely an area we need to work on.

- There have been many changes in your team recently—newcomers arriving, some players leaving. Could we say that Barys is being rebuilt under your leadership? How satisfied are you with how the new players are integrating?

- Of course, the team needs strengthening. We can’t afford to have players who are indifferent to the fact that we’re losing games. We must push ourselves harder, play more disciplined, and be more reliable. As I’ve said before, most of the penalties were due to mistakes—failing to clear the puck, rushing into an opponent’s movement, or losing possession. The opponent capitalized on these errors. Naturally, we want players who can compete and create the mindset that we are not a team that gives up after conceding a goal. We need to find ways to turn the game around.

Sergey Zvyagin, Head Coach of Avangard:

- It was a good game. We gained momentum and confidence as the game progressed, allowing the opponent very little offensively. The most positive takeaway is that we played the third period smartly and continued to show character. It was a solid team victory.

- After the last game, you mentioned that Avangard needed to play better today. Given those comments, should we have expected the team to launch into the attack from the start? It seemed like the team played more pragmatically. Was that the plan, to avoid mistakes and ease into the game?

- We’ve tried the 'all-out attack' approach in a couple of games, but it’s not that it was the specific plan today—it was more about controlling our desire to push forward. We took an early penalty, which put us in a difficult position from the start. Today, we wanted a more cohesive game where every shift from every player was consistent throughout the match. We focused on defense first and then built up to create chances and results in the attack.

- It seemed like the team opted for a simpler approach today, especially when exiting the defensive zone. In previous games, we saw attempts to make passes even under pressure, but today, it was more about playing off the boards or glass. Was this part of the strategy?

- Yes, that was the plan for this specific game against this opponent. Barys plays aggressively, applying pressure continuously without retreating, even in the neutral zone. So, there’s no point in making an extra pass in our own zone. We needed to move the puck forward quickly, cut off their pressure, and transition to attack.